A 17-year-old from Nebraska has been crowned this year's Miss America in Las Vegas after playing the piano and speaking about eating disorders.

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Teresa Scanlan, 17, beat out 52 other contestants for the crown and title that comes with a $50,000 scholarship, the Las Vegas Sun said. Scanlan graduated from high school last May and plans to begin college studies after her term as Miss America concludes.

"I found my niche," she said. "I found what I liked and I guess this is working out pretty good for me."

It was the first time a contestant from Nebraska won the pageant, although the youngest Miss America winner was 15 1/2 in 1933, the newspaper said.

Miss Arkansas, Alyse Eady, was first runner-up and a crowd-pleaser with her act of singing with two ventriloquist dummies.

Jalee Fuselier of Hawaii was second runner-up and Miss Washington, Jacquie Brown, was third, the seven judges decided.