2010 Miss America Pageant contestants arrive on the Strip

Glenn Pinkerton/Las Vegas News Bureau

The contestants in the 2010 Miss America Pageant at the arrival ceremony in Planet Hollywood on Jan. 21, 2010.

By Robin Leach (contact)

Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010 | 8:56 p.m.

The 53 contestants in the 2010 Miss America Pageant were welcomed to Planet Hollywood this afternoon for a week of activities and preliminary competitions before the live pageant hosted by Mario Lopez in the Theater for the Performing Arts on Jan. 30.

Check back to Vegas DeLuxe tomorrow morning for a report and a photo gallery from our contributing photographers of the arrival ceremony with roses. Here’s a first photo from Glenn Pinkerton of the Las Vegas News Bureau, and check out my Twitter account for a real-time report today.

Meantime, this year’s Quality of Life Awards finalists were announced today at the arrival ceremony, which was attended by Marilyn Winn, president of Bally’s, Paris and Planet Hollywood; Bill Feather, president of Planet Hollywood Worldwide Resorts; Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority; Art McMaster, president and CEO of the Miss America Organization; and Sam Haskell III, chairman of the Miss America Organization.

The 10 finalists and their platform issues are: Miss Alabama Liz Cochran, “With Every Beat: The Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease”; Miss Iowa Anne Michael Langguth, “Good for You! Promoting Community Service, Wellness and Engagement in the Sciences”; Miss Kentucky Mallory Ervin, “Autism Awareness”; Miss Minnesota Brooke Kelly Kilgarriff, “Music: The Building Blocks of Education”; Miss Missouri Tara Osseck, “Education and Prevention of Eating Disorders”; Miss Montana Brittany Marie Wiser, “Suicide Prevention Education”; Miss Nevada Christina Keegan, “Rape Education & Recovery”; Miss New Hampshire Lindsey Graham, “Speaking Out for Mental Illness”; Miss Oklahoma Taylor Treat, “Engaging Students Through Service Learning”; and Miss Tennessee Stefanie Wittler, “Ronald McDonald House and Children’s Miracle Network Charities.”

The Quality of Life Awards contestants submit an application describing their involvement with Children’s Miracle Network, the national platform of the Miss America Organization, and their own platform. The winner receives a $6,000 scholarship, the first runner-up $4,000 and the second runner-up $2,000. Winners will be announced on Jan. 29 at Planet Hollywood.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.