| Miss Earth USA | |
| Type: | Beauty pageant |
| Headquarters: | Washington, D.C. |
| Location: | United States |
| Membership: | Miss Earth |
| Language: | English |
| Leader Title: | National Director |
| Leader Name: | Laura Clark (2016-present) |
Miss Earth USA (formerly Miss Earth United States) is an annual beauty pageant which selects the United States representative to Miss Earth which is an annual international beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness.[1] [2] [3]
The current Miss Earth USA is Bea Millan-Windorski from Wisconsin. Millan-Windorski was crowned on December 31, 2023, by Miss Earth USA 2023, Danielle Mullins, from Kentucky at the Rosen Center in Orlando, Florida.
In January 2016, owners of Miss Earth, Carousel Productions, Inc., announced, through their official Facebook fan page, that the Miss Earth USA program would be managed by U.S. Earth Productions/Beauty Beyond Borders, Inc. under the leadership of national director Laura Clark.
In August 2018, the current organization announced it would be changing its name to Miss Earth USA.
From 2001 to 2005 participants were selected by the Ms. America International pageant where the prize was to represent the United States at the Miss Earth Pageant.The very first American delegate for Miss Earth was Abigail Royce[4] of California. She competed in 2001 where she landed as one of the Top 10 semifinalists.[5] [6]
In 2005, Earth Pageant Productions acquired the rights to run Miss Earth USA, in which the winner would go on to Miss Earth. The pageant adopted the slogan "Continuing the Legacy of Beauty and Responsibility". The pageant focused mainly on promoting environmental causes and the winners were chosen equally on their physical attributes as well as their understanding and knowledge of the issues affecting the Earth.[7] [8] [9] Miss Teen Earth USA was added in 2008, and was held in conjunction with the Miss Earth USA.
The US Earth Productions/Beauty Beyond Borders, Inc. is the current organization that owns and has runs Miss Earth USA since 2016. The organization is based in Washington, D.C.[10]
Pre-pageant events take place over a one-week period and include community service work within the host location. Delegates are scored in the following areas: judges' interview, evening gown, swimwear, a Think Global, Act Local environmental project,[11] runway, photogenic, media interview, and social media presence and engagement. In 2023 the current prize value for the top national titleholder for Miss Earth USA was valued at over $100,000 from prize awards, endorsements, and travel.[12]
Every year, states hold a preliminary competition to choose their delegate for the Miss Earth USA pageant. Delegates may be appointed state or regional titles if a state pageant is not offered in their area. The state/regional winners hold the title "Miss (State/Region) Earth USA" for the year of their reign.
State contestants are judged equally in the following categories: community service, gown, interview, photogenic, and swimwear.
The U.S. Earth Productions/Beauty Beyond Borders, Inc. organization awards directorships to pageant directors, who in some cases are responsible for more than one state or a region of the United States.
Currently, the Miss Earth USA organization does allow contestants to re-compete at the national pageant in the same division under the previous state title held, or a regional title, if a state title has already been awarded or appointed.
In 2020, Lindsey Coffey is the first U.S. representative to win Miss Earth during their 20th anniversary. Marisa Butler, Miss Earth USA 2021, Emanii Davis, Miss Earth USA 2019, and Andrea Neu, Miss Earth USA 2014, placed first-runner up as Miss Earth - Air in their respective years competing at Miss Earth.[13] [14]
Miss Earth USA holds a record of 13 placements at Miss Earth, third overall behind Miss Philippines Earth, and Miss Earth Venezuela.
The following is a list of all Miss Earth USA winners and elemental court during their year of crowning.
| Edition | Host City | Miss Earth USA | Miss Earth USA - Air | Miss Earth USA - Water | Miss Earth USA - Fire | Miss Earth USA - Eco | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Orlando, Florida | Bea Millan-Windorski[15] Wisconsin | Sofia Terrazas Texas | Jireh Gerry California | Sydney Hella Colorado | Jada Kelly Mississippi | |
| 2023 | Danielle Mullins[16] Kentucky | Shawna Melvin Maryland | Natalia Aldarondo Florida | Angel Strong Nebraska | Gracie Pfaff Tennessee | ||
| 2022 | Natalia Salmon Pennsylvania (Dethroned) | Faith Porter District of Columbia | Hannah Welborn-Lewis North Carolina | Emma Loney Oklahoma | |||
| Brielle Simmons Connecticut (Assumed) | |||||||
| 2021 | Marisa Butler Maine | Alyssa Klinzing California | Alyssa Magalong Colorado | Kennedy Thomas Alabama | C'yana Denby Maryland | ||
| 2020 | Virtual Pageant | Lindsey Coffey Pennsylvania | Shannon Lynch District of Columbia | Autumn Adams Georgia | Leighanna Kingvalsky Louisiana | Alexandra Curtis Rhode Island | |
| 2019 | Las Vegas, Nevada | Emanii Davis Georgia | Libby Hill Gulf Coast | Mia Jones Delaware | Francie Evans South Carolina | Kirstin Bangs California (Resigned) | |
| Nicolette Templier New York (Assumed) | |||||||
| 2018 | Alexandria, Virginia | Yashvi Aware Mid-Atlantic | Kailey Parker Hawaii | Yvette Vaughn Texas | Natalia Aldarondo Puerto Rico | April Maroshick New York | |
| 2017 | Andreia Gibau Massachusetts | Ashley Wade District of Columbia | Yvette Vaughn Northwest | Sydney Wharton Texas | rowspan=2 | ||
| 2016 | Corrin Stellakis New York | Mae-Ann Webb South Carolina | Devin Boyd Louisiana | Kesha Clark Southwest | |||
| 2015 | Ontario, California | Brittany Ann Payne California | Cece Campos Southern California | Maria Manzo Grand Florida | Maicie Clark Florida | Elizabeth Tran Florida | |
| 2014 | Andrea Neu Colorado | Eli Reyes Texas | Candie Herrera | Cece Campos Southern California | Daryanne Lees Puerto Rico | ||
| 2013 | Honolulu, Hawaii | Nicolle Velez Empire State | Edita Jurisic Pennsylvania | Eli Reyes Texas | Lucie Poehere Wilson Hawaii | Emily Miller South Dakota | |
| 2012 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Siria Bojorquez Lone Star State | Illinois | California | Pennsylvania | Missouri | |
| 2011 | Daytona Beach, Florida | Nicole Kelley Florida |
This is a list of women who have represented United States at the Miss Earth pageant:
| Year | Representative's Name | Age | State Represented | Hometown | Placement at Miss Earth | Medals & Awards at Miss Earth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Abigail Royce | 25 | California | San Diego | Top 10 | 1st Runner-up at Miss World USA 2000. | |
| 2002 | Casey Marie Burns | 21 | California | Long Beach | Unplaced | ||
| 2003 | Jessica Schilling† | 19 | California | Palm Springs | Unplaced | ||
| 2004 | Stephanie Brownell | 20 | California | Riverside | Unplaced | Miss Friendship | |
| 2005 | Amanda Kimmel | 21 | Montana | Billings | Top 8 | Miss Montana USA 2005. | |
| 2006 | Amanda Pennekamp | 25 | South Carolina |
Notes:
| States | Titles | Years |
|---|---|---|
| California | 5 | 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2015 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 | 2020, 2022 |
| Texas | 2012, 2019 | |
| New York | 2013, 2016 | |
| South Carolina | 2006, 2016 | |
| Wisconsin | 1 | 2024 |
| Kentucky | 2023 | |
| Connecticut | 2022 | |
| Maine | 2021 | |
| Georgia | 2019 | |
| Maryland | 2018 | |
| Massachusetts | 2017 | |
| Colorado | 2014 | |
| Florida | 2011 | |
| Missouri | 2010 | |
| Rhode Island | 2009 | |
| Nebraska | 2008 | |
| Kansas | 2007 | |
| Montana | 2005 |
The current Miss Earth USA program requires contestants be ages 18–26 as of January 1 of the competition year. U.S. Earth Productions/Beauty Beyond Borders, Inc. offers three additional divisions supporting Miss Earth USA. The winners of the additional divisions for ages 14–18 (Teen) and 21-59 (Mrs.) go on to compete at international competitions. Previously the program had an Elite Miss division for ages 26–38, but it was discontinued in 2022. All delegates are never married (excluding Mrs.), never had children (excluding Mrs.), natural born female, and U.S. citizens.[17] Together, these delegates make up Miss Earth USA system and bring awareness to environmental concerns while celebrating talents in modeling, fashion, and public speaking.[18]
The following is a list of all Miss Earth USA supporting division titleholders.
| 2024 | Alexandria Wolfe | TBA | TBA | |||
| 2023 | Tayan Stansfield | Ann Pennington | ||||
| 2022 | Presley Patrick | Christine Rich | ||||
| 2021 | Katia Gerry | Meredith Pope | Nalicia Ramdyal | |||
| 2020 | Sally Dorrell | |||||
| 2019 | Sydni Terradot | Shelby Williams Dixon | Celine Pelofi | |||
| 2018 | Payton Stockman | Brandi Jarvis Ibos | Keyace Sims | Gulf Coast | ||
| 2017 | Leslie Jackson | Division established in 2018[19] | ||||
| 2016 | Sarah Levandowski | |||||
| 2015 | Alyssa Klinzing | Vincenza Carrieri-Russo | ||||