Maria Maldonado (Miss Kentucky)

Maria Christina Maldonado Smith (born January 8, 1982) is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Lexington, Kentucky. She was named Miss Kentucky Teen 1999 and crowned Miss Kentucky 2004. She competed for the Miss America 2005 title.

Maria Maldonado
Born
Maria Christina Maldonado

(1982-01-08) January 8, 1982
Lexington, Kentucky
EducationUniversity of Kentucky
TitleMiss Kentucky Teen 1999
Miss Campbellsville Area 2001
Miss Jeffersontown 2002
Miss Metropolitan 2003
Miss Heart of the South 2004
Miss Kentucky 2004
Beauty pageant titleholder
Hair colorBrown
Eye colorBrown
Major
competition(s)		Miss America 2005

Pageant career

Miss Kentucky Teen 1999

In 1999, Maldonado won the title of Miss Lexington Teen. At the state pageant, she was selected as Miss Kentucky Teen.[1] At the time, there was no national pageant beyond this state title as the first Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant was held in August 2005.[2]

Vying for Miss Kentucky

In 2001, Maldonado won the Miss Campbellsville Area title. She competed as one of 31 qualifiers in the 2001 Miss Kentucky pageant with the platform "Increasing Public Awareness of Tourette Syndrome" and a vocal performance in the talent portion of the competition.[3] She was named was third runner-up to winner Monica Hardin.[4]

In October 2001, Maldonado won the Miss Jeffersontown 2002 title and became one of 32 qualifiers for the 2002 Miss Kentucky pageant.[5][6] She competed with the platform "Renewing Our Commitment to Special Education" and a vocal performance in the talent portion of the competition.[7] She was named was second runner-up to winner Mary Catherine Correll.[8]

In November 2002, Maldonado won the Miss Metropolitan 2003 title.[9][10] She was one of 32 qualifiers for the 2003 Miss Kentucky pageant.[11] She competed on a platform of "Renewing Our Commitment to Special Education" and a vocal performance in the talent portion of the competition.[12] She was named was third runner-up to winner MacKenzie Mayes.[13]

Miss Kentucky 2004

Maldonado was crowned Miss Heart of the South 2004 which made her eligible to compete at the 2004 Miss Kentucky pageant.[14] She entered the state pageant in June 2004 as one of 31 qualifiers.[15] Maldonado's competition talent was a vocal performance and her platform was "All Kinds of Minds".[16]

Maldonado won the competition on Saturday, June 10, 2004, when she received her crown from outgoing Miss Kentucky titleholder MacKenzie Mayes.[17][18] She earned more than $10,000 in scholarship money from the state pageant, plus use of an apartment and a Ford Explorer during her reign.[17] As Miss Kentucky, her activities included public appearances across the state of Kentucky.[19]

Maldonado was Kentucky's representative at the Miss America 2005 pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in September 2004.[16] She was not a finalist for the national title but won the Non-Finalist Interview Award and a combined $8,000 in scholarship prizes during the pageant.[20]

Early life and education

Maldonado is a native of Lexington, Kentucky, and a 2000 graduate of Lafayette High School.[21] She is a 2004 graduate of the University of Kentucky.[17] She married her husband, Dan Smith, in 2005.

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References
  1. "Former Miss Kentucky's Outstanding Teen Titleholders". Miss Kentucky. Archived from the original on November 5, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  2. Reed, Travis (August 21, 2005). "Texas teen ventriloquist wins Orlando Miss America youth pageant". Plainview Herald. Plainview, TX. Associated Press. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  3. "State Contestants: Kentucky - 2001". Miss America. 2001. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  4. "Miss Ky. is from Louisville". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Cincinnati, OH: Gannett. Associated Press. June 17, 2001. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  5. "Pageant History: Former Miss Jeffersontown Winners". Greater Louisville Scholarship Organization. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  6. "Beauty and bonding". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, KY: Knight Ridder. June 14, 2002. pp. A1, A10. Archived from the original on June 24, 2002. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  7. "State Contestants: Kentucky - 2002". Miss America. 2002. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  8. "Maysville rep named Miss Kentucky". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Cincinnati, OH: Gannett. Associated Press. June 16, 2002. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  9. "Kozlesky, Maldonado take top honors at pageant". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, KY: Knight Ridder. November 10, 2002. p. B3. Archived from the original on November 12, 2002. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  10. "Former Miss Metropolitan Winners". The Miss Lexington/Miss Metropolitan Scholarship Pageant. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  11. "32 to compete for Miss Ky". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, KY: Knight Ridder. June 4, 2003. p. E3. Archived from the original on June 11, 2003. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  12. "State Contestants: Kentucky - 2003". Miss America. 2003. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  13. "Miss Monticello wins crown". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, KY: Knight Ridder. June 25, 2003. p. E5. Archived from the original on June 27, 2003. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  14. "Miss Kentucky Photos". Miss Heart of the South/Miss Pride of the South. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  15. "There They Are". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, KY: Knight Ridder. May 19, 2004. p. E3. Archived from the original on May 22, 2004. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  16. "State Contestants: Kentucky - 2004". Miss America. 2004. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  17. "Miss Kentucky is a UK grad from Lexington". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, KY: Knight Ridder. June 13, 2004. p. C3. Archived from the original on June 18, 2004. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  18. "Former Titleholders". Miss Kentucky Scholarship Pageant. Archived from the original on December 10, 2010. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  19. Bigham, Karen (November 23, 2004). "A visit with Miss Kentucky". Kentucky New Era. Hopkinsville, KY. pp. A1, A4. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  20. "Miss America: Recipients 2004". Miss America. Archived from the original on June 17, 2015. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  21. Fischer, Kent (October 6, 1996). "Reading, Writing and Raising Funds". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, KY: Knight Ridder. p. B1.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
MacKenzie Mayes		 Miss Kentucky
2004		 Succeeded by
Kerri Mitchell
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