INDIANA, USA — Kalyn Melham of Muncie, IN was crowned Miss Indiana 2024 Saturday evening in Zionsville, IN, at the STAR Performing Arts Center when she was awarded a $10,000 scholarship.
Throughout Melham's year of service, she will advocate for her social cause A.C.T. (Advocating for Change Through Theater).
"I use theater and performance and work with community theaters to put on a lot of fun shows and [I] do workshops with the children that are involved in theater," Melham said.
She said she will ask audience members to bring canned foods for different missions across the state. Melham also plans to support the Riley Hospital for Children by asking theater boards to donate portions of their funds.
Bella Bauer of Granger, IN was also crowned Miss Indiana's Outstanding Teen 2024 Saturday and was awarded a $6,000 scholarship.
Bauer will be advocating for the Purple Project, which she is connected to from her diagnosis as a child.
"I've really been working on making sure I'm empowering those with a diagnosis of epilepsy because I was diagnosed in the fifth grade," Bauer said.
Her goal is to get seizure safety laws in every school in the state of Indiana. Bauer is already a published author of the book, "The ABC's of Epilespy," and is releasing a second book soon.
On top of the major awards, Melham won preliminary evening gown wear and Bauer won preliminary talent.
A date has not been announced for Miss America and Miss America’s Outstanding Teen, but it is set to be in Orlando at Universal Studios.
For more information on Miss America and Miss America's Outstanding Teen, click here.