Mimi Pabon was crowned the first Miss Puerto Rico America since Puerto Rico was reinstated back into the Miss America family. Mimi Pabon will go on to compete in the Miss America pageant in January. Wouldn’t it be something if she won the Miss America crown the very first year that Puerto Rico was allowed to compete in the Miss America system?

Katie Stam made her appearance at the Miss Puerto Rico pageant along with Irma Nydia Velazquez who was celebrating her 60th anniversary since being crowned the first ever Miss Puerto Rico America, 1948.  

All of the Miss America 2009 state title holders met for the first time in Orlando, Florida on August 12 since being crowned. The young ladies toured Orlando visiting both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios theme parks.

With the Miss America pageant roughly 5 months away meeting your competition can have somewhat mixed emotions. On one hand you get the opportunity to meet, get to know and learn from some of the most talented and beautiful girls in the country and then on the other hand you are checking out to see who your competition is.

Pursuing the Miss America crown is different from a state pageant or local in that generally the girls know on a state and local level who the top competitors are. However, when you are entering into the Miss America pageant a whole new pecking order begins. During this first meeting girls are finding out who are the top runners, and how tough their competition really is.

However, according to my contacts all seem to be getting along very well, and seem to be enjoying the many sites and activities. This should be a very interesting Miss America pageant indeed.