Grace Stanke
Grace Stanke | |
|---|---|
 Stanke in 2023 | |
| Born | Grace Marie Stanke April 30, 2002 Wausau, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Education | University of Wisconsin–Madison |
| Known for | Miss America 2023 |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Title | Miss Wausau's Outstanding Teen 2016 Miss Harbor Cities' Outstanding Teen 2017 Miss Wisconsin's Outstanding Teen 2017 Miss Wisconsin 2022 Miss America 2023 |
| Term | December 15, 2022 – January 14, 2024 |
| Predecessor | Emma Broyles |
| Successor | Madison Marsh |
Grace Marie Stanke (born April 30, 2002) is an American pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss America 2023 on December 15, 2022. A native of Wausau, Wisconsin, she is the third Miss Wisconsin to win the national title. She is an advocate for nuclear power.
Early life and education
Stanke is a graduate of Wausau West High School. Her father is a civil engineer. She began competing as a local titleholder in the Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant circuit to improve her violin skills. Stanke was crowned Miss Wausau's Outstanding Teen in 2016, Miss Harbor Cities' Outstanding Teen in 2017, and finally Miss Wisconsin's Outstanding Teen 2017.
Stanke started competing in the Miss America system again after she turned 18 to earn scholarship money. She competed at Miss Wisconsin 2021 as Miss Madison, where she was a semi-finalist. Stanke was crowned Miss Wisconsin 2022 on June 18, 2022 while representing Badgerland, becoming the first woman to hold both state Miss and Teen titles. In addition to the title, Stanke won Preliminary Talent and $12,500 in scholarships. She studied nuclear engineering at University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Miss America 2023
On December 15, 2022, Stanke won the title of Miss America 2023 and a $50,000 scholarship. During the competition, Stanke received a preliminary talent award and a $2,500 scholarship for her classical violin performance of "Summer: III. Presto" from the Four Seasons by Vivaldi. She will spend her year as Miss America raising awareness about nuclear power and zero-carbon energy sources. During her reign, Stanke has visited nuclear power plants across the United States including the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Georgia, the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in western Arizona, and Hanford Site in Washington, and Energy Northwest in Washington. She also spoke about the benefits of nuclear power at the Dairyland Power Cooperative 2023 annual meeting in La Crosse, Wisconsin and at the American Nuclear Society's 2023 annual conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. Stanke served as the Grand Marshal of the 36th Annual Arizona Public Service Electric Light Parade.
In July 2023, Stanke interviewed with CNN about the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon and her experience with both pageants and nuclear science. In September 2023, Stanke lent some of her sashes, gowns, and crowns to the Marathon County Historical Society in her hometown for an exhibit there called 'A Woman Who Can'. During her reign, the Wall Street Journal declared Stanke "the new face of nuclear energy."