FORT SMITH, Ark. — A Fort Smith native is making history as the first-ever military member to represent Miss America.
On Jan. 13, Madison Marsh was crowned Miss America while representing Colorado, which is where she is currently based.
Madison is a second lieutenant in the Air Force. She is an alumna of Southside High School.
Fort Smith Public Schools posted on their Facebook before she was officially crowned to let Madison know her hometown was cheering her on.
Aside from being the first military member to represent the organization, Madison is hoping to make a difference in the fight against pancreatic cancer with the Whitney Marsh Foundation.
The foundation was founded by Madison in honor of her mother who also lived in Fort Smith and died at the age of 41 from pancreatic cancer. The foundation works to support cancer research.
Congressman Steve Womack played an influential part in Madison's journey to joining the Air Force. She approached him in high school interested in joining the service and they connected instantly.
"I queried her about her grades, her class staining her GPA, and things that the service academies are going to look at. And she checked every block" Congressman Womack said. "She became my principal nominee, which means that the Air Force Academy, before they could take anybody else in my order of merit, they had to take her."
He said he watched Sunday's competition with pride and had a feeling Madison would take home the crown.
"I don't have the words to describe how I was feeling Sunday night" Congressman Womack said. Right before that last moment. I thought to myself, we have the winner."
Fort Smith Mayor George McGill said Congressman Womack put Madison on his radar and he'd been rooting for her ever since.
"He took some time to share her story, an amazing story. And he told us he said, guys be on the lookout for her. She is going to be competing in the Miss America Pageant. She's going to be representing Colorado. But keep in mind, she is from Fort Smith, Arkansas. She's one of your very own," Mayor McGill said.
"We figured with all of those pieces in place, the lucky charms would strike. And sure enough, it did" Mayor McGill said. "To be recognized and be highlighted as her hometown, where she was educated, where she built her legacy where her family is from. We're really, really excited about all of this."
Both Congressman Womack and Mayor McGill said expect a big celebration when Madison returns home to Arkansas.
"We're gonna do this the right way is not often a small a city like ours can be able to say Miss America this year is from Fort Smith," Mayor McGill said. "I'm sure she's gonna come home. And we she does, we're gonna roll out the red carpet."
"The city now will be able to boast and there should be a billboard out there soon, that that has her likeness and home of Miss America, so that everybody driving up and down I-40 or I-49 gets to see and to be witness to the fact that they're driving through the hometown of the reigning Miss America," Congressman Womack said.
"I always talk about Madison Marsh, because she is just having a very special talent," Congressman Womack said. "The country got to see that on display Sunday, when they crowned her Miss America."
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