Holly Blanchard

Holly Blanchard (born December 14, 1991) is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Derry, New Hampshire, who was crowned Miss New Hampshire 2015. She competed for the Miss America 2016 title in September 2015.

Holly Blanchard
Born (1991-12-14) December 14, 1991
EducationUniversity of Connecticut
TitleMiss Souhegan Valley 2010
Miss Granite State 2012
Miss Lakes Region 2012
Miss Greater Plaistow 2014
Miss Rockingham County 2015
Miss New Hampshire 2015
Beauty pageant titleholder
Hair colorBlonde
Major
competition(s)		Miss America 2016

Pageant career

Early pageants

A fan of beauty pageants since early childhood, Blanchard began participating in the Miss America system at age 13 by entering the Miss New Hampshire's Outstanding Teen competition.[1][2] She competed in the 2005,[3] 2006,[4] 2007,[5] 2008,[6] and 2009[7] teen pageants without taking the state title. Blanchard's best finish was as a Top-5 finalist in 2009.[8] After five years, Blanchard moved up to the adult Miss New Hampshire pageants.[1]

Vying for Miss New Hampshire

In October 2009, Blanchard won the Miss Souhegan Valley 2010 title.[9] Entering as one of 26 qualifiers, Blanchard competed in the 2010 Miss New Hampshire pageant with the platform "Get Involved: Encouraging Youth Volunteerism" plus a dance and baton twirling to the Ike & Tina Turner song "River Deep – Mountain High" in the talent portion of the competition.[9][10] She was not a Top-10 semi-finalist for the state title.[11] She did not win a local qualifying pageant for the 2011 state pageant.[12][13]

In January 2012, Blanchard won the Miss Granite State 2012 title. Entering as one of 27 qualifiers, Blanchard competed in the 2012 Miss New Hampshire pageant with the platform "Get Involved: Encouraging Youth Volunteerism" plus a dance and baton twirling performance in the talent portion of the competition.[14] She was a Top-10 semi-finalist for the state crown.[11][15]

On August 12, 2012, Blanchard won the Miss Lakes Region 2012 title.[16] Entering as one of 28 qualifiers, Blanchard competed in the 2013 Miss New Hampshire pageant with the platform "Charity from the Heart: Giving Time to Make a Difference" plus a dance and baton twirling performance to the Gloria Estefan version of "Turn the Beat Around" in the talent portion of the competition.[17][18] She was a Top-10 semi-finalist for the state crown.[11]

In August 2013, Blanchard won the Miss Greater Plaistow 2014 title.[19] Entering as one of 28 qualifiers, Blanchard competed in the 2014 Miss New Hampshire pageant with the platform "Charity from the Heart: Giving Time to Make a Difference" plus a dance and baton twirling performance in the talent portion of the competition.[20][21] She was named first runner-up to winner Megan Cooley.[22][23] As first runner-up, Blanchard went on to represent New Hampshire at the National Sweetheart pageant in Hoopeston, Illinois.[24] She was not a finalist for this national crown.[25]

Miss New Hampshire 2015

On August 2, 2014, Blanchard was crowned Miss Rockingham County 2015.[2][11][26] In her fifth try for the title and final year of eligibility, Blanchard entered the Miss New Hampshire pageant in May 2015 as one of 27 qualifiers for the state crown.[1] Blanchard's competition talent was a dance and baton twirling routine to the song "Show Me How You Burlesque" by Christina Aguilera.[2] Her platform is "Charity from the Heart: Giving Time to Make a Difference".[1]

Blanchard won the competition on Saturday, May 2, 2015, when she received her crown from outgoing Miss New Hampshire titleholder Megan Cooley.[27] She earned more than $10,000 in scholarship money, a fur coat, and other prizes from the state pageant.[1] As Miss New Hampshire, her activities included public appearances across the state of New Hampshire.[28]

Blanchard was New Hampshire's representative at the Miss America 2016 pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in September 2015.[27][29]

Early life and education

Blanchard is a native of Derry, New Hampshire, and a 2010 graduate of Pinkerton Academy.[1][11] Her father is David Blanchard and her mother is Helen Blanchard.[11] She has one younger sister, Briana.[11]

Blanchard is a May 2014 graduate of the University of Connecticut where she majored in communications with a minor in sociology.[11][27] She is currently the director of youth programs for Make-A-Wish New Hampshire.[1]

gollark: You can work out the power just from the acceleration and mass, I think.
gollark: That must be a very powerful laser then.
gollark: I meant how fast is the 1000 ton sail decelerated?
gollark: At what acceleration?
gollark: I think we want fairly redundant life support, though the outside atmosphere would be usable if you filter the chlorine out I think.

References
  1. Swanson, Cassidy (May 4, 2015). "In her year as Miss NH, Holly Blanchard plans to make a difference". New Hampshire Union Leader. Manchester, NH: Union Leader Corp. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  2. Haas, Kimberley (May 2, 2015). "Holly Blanchard named Miss New Hampshire". Derry, NH: WBIN-TV. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  3. "List of 2005 Miss NH's Outstanding Teen Contestants". Miss New Hampshire's Outstanding Teen. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  4. "List of 2006 Miss NH's Outstanding Teen Contestants". Miss New Hampshire's Outstanding Teen. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  5. "List of 2007 Miss NH's Outstanding Teen Contestants". Miss New Hampshire's Outstanding Teen. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  6. "List of 2008 Miss NH's Outstanding Teen Contestants". Miss New Hampshire's Outstanding Teen. Archived from the original on June 12, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  7. "List of 2009 Miss NH's Outstanding Teen Contestants". Miss New Hampshire's Outstanding Teen. Archived from the original on May 13, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  8. "2009 Miss NH's Outstanding Teen Competition". Miss New Hampshire's Outstanding Teen. Archived from the original on January 22, 2010. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  9. "Young women compete to become Miss NH 2010". The Derry News. Derry, NH: North of Boston Media Group. April 28, 2010. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  10. "State Contestants: New Hampshire - 2010". Miss America. 2010. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  11. Bailey, Kathleen D. (May 7, 2015). "Derry's Holly Blanchard Wins Miss New Hampshire". Nutfield News. Derry, NH: Nutfield Publishing. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  12. Marchocki, Kathryn (May 3, 2011). "Dover's Hartley wins Miss New Hampshire title". New Hampshire Union Leader. Manchester, NH: Union Leader Corp. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  13. "2011 Miss New Hampshire Competition". Miss New Hampshire. Archived from the original on August 18, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  14. "State Contestants: New Hampshire - 2012". Miss America. 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  15. Swift, Adam (April 28, 2012). "Third time's a charm for new Miss New Hampshire". New Hampshire Union Leader. Manchester, NH: Union Leader Corp. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  16. Ferland, Jeff (August 16, 2012). "Former winners pass the torch at Miss Lakes Region Pageant" (PDF). Gilford Steamer. Gilford, NH: Salmon Press. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  17. "State Contestants: New Hampshire - 2013". Miss America. 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  18. "2012-2013 Local Titleholders". Miss New Hampshire. Archived from the original on May 7, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  19. Tran, Jennifer (January 19, 2014). "Holly Blanchard, Miss Greater Plaistow 2014". Beauty Pageant News. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  20. "State Contestants: New Hampshire - 2014". Miss America. 2014. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  21. Sexton, Adam (May 3, 2014). "Miss Greater Derry named Miss New Hampshire". Manchester, NH: WMUR-TV. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  22. McGee, Hunter (May 4, 2014). "Miss Greater Derry to wear Miss New Hampshire crown". New Hampshire Union Leader. Manchester, NH: Union Leader Corp. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  23. "Miss Greater Derry takes top pageant crown". The Derry News. Derry, NH: North of Boston Media Group. May 8, 2014. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  24. "Miss New Hampshire 2015: Holly Blanchard". Miss New Hampshire. Archived from the original on August 8, 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  25. "2014 Award Winners" (PDF). Hoopeston, IL: National Sweetheart. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  26. "Your new Miss Rockingham County - Holly Blanchard". Miss Rockingham County. August 2, 2014. Retrieved August 7, 2015 – via Facebook.
  27. Woods, Stephanie (May 3, 2015). "The Granite State crowns a new Miss New Hampshire Saturday". Manchester, NH: WMUR-TV. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  28. Robidoux, Carol (May 3, 2015). "Miss New Hampshire 2015: Dream come true for Holly Blanchard". Manchester Ink Link. Manchester, NH. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  29. "State Contestants: New Hampshire - 2015". Miss America. 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Megan Cooley		 Miss New Hampshire
2015		 Succeeded by
Caroline Carter
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