Miss Indiana, Katie Stam from Seymour, Indiana was crowned Miss America 2009 this week at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Katie's triumphant walk across the stage was just the beginning of a journey that will take her to every corner of the country during her year of service as Miss America 2009. She will travel approximately 20,000 miles each month speaking to audiences about her platform of Passion for Service, Promoting Community Service and Involvement and acting as the official National Goodwill Ambassador for Children's Miracle Network. Children's Miracle Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children's hospitals, is the national platform partner of the Miss America Organization.

Katie is a student at the University of Indianapolis. Her scholastic ambition is to earn her bachelor's degree in Communication with an emphasis on electronic media and she ultimately plans to become a television news reporter and anchor. Along with the title of Miss America 2009, Katie won a $50,000 scholarship to continue her education. For the talent portion of the competition, Katie sang 'Via Dolorosa,' which is the name that is believed by Christians to be the path that Jesus walked, on the street of the same name in Jerusalem, and means The 'Way of Grief,' or 'The Way of Suffering.'

As the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women and one of the nation's leading achievement programs, the Miss America Organization last year made available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance. The Miss America Organization provides young women with a vehicle to further their personal and professional goals and instills a spirit of community service through a variety of nationwide community-based programs.