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Music superstar Ciara completes celebrity judges panel for 96th Miss America live broadcast

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Wed, Aug 24th 2016 01:10 pm

Hosted by Chris Harrison and Sage Steele on Sunday, Sept. 11, from Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall, and shown on the ABC Television Network

The Miss America Organization, dick clark productions and ABC announced Grammy Award-winning entertainer Ciara will join the esteemed panel of judges for the Miss America live broadcast. Miss America airs live from Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall on Sunday, Sept. 11 (9-11 p.m. EDT), on the ABC Television Network. The evening will be filled with glitz and glam, as 52 women compete for the coveted crown and scholarships.

Ciara will join entrepreneur Mark Cuban, Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas, actress Sara Foster, musician and actress Laura Marano, singer-songwriter Cole Swindell and former Miss America Sharlene Wells Hawkes as celebrity judges for the 2017 Miss America Competition.

The panel of celebrity judges will evaluate the contestants' performances in the following categories during the live broadcast: lifestyle and fitness in swimsuit, eveningwear, talent, interview and on-stage questions. These young women will showcase their unique blend of intelligence, leadership, talent, physical fitness and dedication to community service, as they compete for the title of Miss America 2017.

Chris Harrison ("The Bachelor," "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire") returns to host the legendary competition, with Sage Steele (ABC and ESPN's "NBA Countdown") joining as co-host.

Ciara is a Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, actress, model and entertainer. Over her 13-year career, she has sold over 23 million records and 16 million singles worldwide, including chart-topping hits "Goodies," "Ride," "Oh," "1, 2 Step" and "Body Party." "I Bet," from her 2015 album, "Jackie," added to Ciara's list of 27-charted hits. Ciara is not only known for her vocal talent and serious dance moves, but also for her fashion and beauty. A regular at New York and Paris fashion weeks, Vogue previously named her the "new fashion icon."

When Ciara isn't working with a major fashion house or out on tour, she is a devoted philanthropist who is dedicated to improving the lives of children and empowering women across the globe.

The coveted "America's Choice" contestant will return this year. Voting opened to the public on Aug. 10 at and will stay open through 11:59:59 p.m. Monday, Sept. 5. The chosen contestant will be announced during the 2017 Miss America Competition live broadcast with the top 15. The remaining contestants in the top 15 are selected by the Miss America preliminary judges panel. It is possible for America's Choice to also be among the judges' selection.

An esteemed, diverse panel of judges for the non-broadcast preliminary rounds of the 2017 Miss America Competition will select the top 15 finalists competing for the title of Miss America during the preliminary week of competition on Sept. 5-8 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. These judges will use their expertise in their respective fields to evaluate these young women. The panel of experts will evaluate the 52 contestants' performances in the following categories: lifestyle and fitness in swimsuit, eveningwear, talent, interview and on-stage questions. This year's preliminary judges are as follows (in alphabetical order by first name): David Zinczenko, Deanna Siller, Debbie Bryant Berge, Jennifer Caudle, Katherine Bailes, Nicole Lapin and Rob Bowman.

For the latest news, follow Miss America on social and join the conversation by using the official hashtag for the show, #MissAmerica.

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