Tara Dawn Holland
Encyclopedia
Tara Dawn Holland is an American beauty pageant
contestant, who was Miss America 1997
.
Holland was born in Overland Park
, Kansas
. After six years as a local literacy
advocate
and tutor
, she took her cause to the national spotlight when she was crowned Miss America 1997. She spent the year fighting for literacy education for people of all ages and backgrounds, as well as raising funds and motivating those involved in the cause. Since her year of service, she has continued to speak for local, state, and national organizations on this critical issue.
In addition to traveling as a speaker, Holland has enjoyed many opportunities to perform musically. She has been featured as a vocal soloist with the Kansas City Symphony
, the U.S. Air Force Band, and the NATO Band in Italy
. She was also a featured vocalist in the nationally-televised Boston Pops Fourth of July Celebration and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
. In addition, she had the honor of singing for two of President George W. Bush
's inaugural events, including the Armory Ball, the largest official Inaugural Ball.
Holland has appeared in various media outlets, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien
, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, Today, Fox News Sunday
with Tony Snow
, Parade
, People
, and Focus on the Family
radio show, among others. In addition to commercials, public service announcement
s, and her cameo role on The Nanny
, some of her other highlights include the 1997 Kansan of the Year, President Bush’s Daily Point of Light #723, and the 1997 Kansas Woman of Achievement.
Today, Holland is very active with youth, both in her local community and as a national sexual abstinence
speaker to tens of thousands of students per year. She also sings and speaks for women’s groups, fundraisers, and churches. In December 2002, Holland graduated summa cum laude with her master’s degree in music education
from the University of Missouri–Kansas City
. Holland and her husband, former U.S. Congressman Jon Lynn Christensen
, make their home in Franklin, Tennessee
; they have two daughters Petra and Sela.
.
Beauty contest
A beauty pageant or beauty contest, is a competition that mainly focuses on the physical beauty of its contestants, although such contests often incorporate personality, talent, and answers to judges' questions as judged criteria...
contestant, who was Miss America 1997
Miss America 1997
Miss America 1997, the 72nd Miss America, pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 14, 1996 and televised by the NBC Network...
.
Holland was born in Overland Park
Overland Park, Kansas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 149,080 people, 59,703 households, and 39,702 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,627.0 people per square mile . There were 62,586 housing units at an average density of 1,102.9 per square mile...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. After six years as a local literacy
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
advocate
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
and tutor
Tutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
, she took her cause to the national spotlight when she was crowned Miss America 1997. She spent the year fighting for literacy education for people of all ages and backgrounds, as well as raising funds and motivating those involved in the cause. Since her year of service, she has continued to speak for local, state, and national organizations on this critical issue.
In addition to traveling as a speaker, Holland has enjoyed many opportunities to perform musically. She has been featured as a vocal soloist with the Kansas City Symphony
Kansas City Symphony
The Kansas City Symphony is a United States symphony orchestra based in Kansas City, Missouri. The current music director is conductor Michael Stern. The current home of the Symphony is the Lyric Theatre, located in Downtown Kansas City on 11th Street between Wyandotte and Central Streets...
, the U.S. Air Force Band, and the NATO Band in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. She was also a featured vocalist in the nationally-televised Boston Pops Fourth of July Celebration and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, often shortened to Macy's Day Parade, is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States along with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, and four years younger than...
. In addition, she had the honor of singing for two of President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's inaugural events, including the Armory Ball, the largest official Inaugural Ball.
Holland has appeared in various media outlets, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, Today, Fox News Sunday
Fox News Sunday
Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace is a public affairs program on the Fox network, hosted by Chris Wallace and airing on Sunday mornings. The show began on April 28, 1996, which predated the launch of Fox News Channel, and usually talks about items similar to Sunday morning talk shows...
with Tony Snow
Tony Snow
Robert Anthony "Tony" Snow was an American journalist, political commentator, television news anchor, syndicated columnist, radio host, musician, and the third White House Press Secretary under President George W. Bush. Snow also worked for President George H. W. Bush as chief speechwriter and...
, Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
, People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
, and Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
radio show, among others. In addition to commercials, public service announcement
Public service announcement
A public service announcement or public service ad is a type of advertisement featured on television, radio, print or other media...
s, and her cameo role on The Nanny
The Nanny (TV series)
The Nanny is an American television sitcom co-produced by Sternin & Fraser Ink, Inc., and Fran Drescher in association with TriStar Television for the CBS network...
, some of her other highlights include the 1997 Kansan of the Year, President Bush’s Daily Point of Light #723, and the 1997 Kansas Woman of Achievement.
Today, Holland is very active with youth, both in her local community and as a national sexual abstinence
Sexual abstinence
Sexual abstinence is the practice of refraining from some or all aspects of sexual activity for medical, psychological, legal, social, philosophical or religious reasons.Common reasons for practicing sexual abstinence include:*poor health - medical celibacy...
speaker to tens of thousands of students per year. She also sings and speaks for women’s groups, fundraisers, and churches. In December 2002, Holland graduated summa cum laude with her master’s degree in music education
Music education
Music education is a field of study associated with the teaching and learning of music. It touches on all domains of learning, including the psychomotor domain , the cognitive domain , and, in particular and significant ways,the affective domain, including music appreciation and sensitivity...
from the University of Missouri–Kansas City
University of Missouri–Kansas City
The University of Missouri–Kansas City is a public university located in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. It is a branch of the University of Missouri System. Its main campus is in Kansas City's Rockhill neighborhood east of the Country Club Plaza...
. Holland and her husband, former U.S. Congressman Jon Lynn Christensen
Jon Lynn Christensen
Jon Lynn Christensen is a former member of the United States House of Representatives.Christensen graduated from St. Paul High School, earned his undergraduate degree from Midland Lutheran College, and his Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law in Houston...
, make their home in Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
; they have two daughters Petra and Sela.
Trivia
The video of her receiving her crown was shown at the beginning of the 2006 film, Little Miss SunshineLittle Miss Sunshine
Little Miss Sunshine is a 2006 American comedy-drama film. The road movie's plot follows a family's trip to a children's beauty pageant.Little Miss Sunshine was the directorial film debut of the husband-wife team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. The screenplay was written by first-time writer...
.