Editing Hoopeston, Illinois (section)

==Miss National Sweetheart pageant==
The Miss National Sweetheart [[beauty pageant]] was created in 1941.  Its contestants are runners-up from the [[Miss America]] state pageants who have been invited to Hoopeston for the competition.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16754286/newspress/ |title=Illinois town takes the title for corniest festival |last=Guebert|first=Alan|date=6 September 2000|work=Fort Myers News-Press}}</ref>  The event, which has no official ties to the Miss America Organization, is sponsored by the Hoopeston [[Jaycees]] and is held on Labor Day weekend in conjunction with the town's annual Sweetcorn Festival.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hoopeston festival a rich, and corny, tradition|newspaper=The News-Gazette|url=http://www.news-gazette.com/news/living/2007-09-03/hoopeston-festival-rich-and-corny-tradition.html?quicktabs_1=0|date=2007-09-03|first=Pam|last=Dempsey}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16754110/the_newsmessenger/ |title=Pretty Losers Vie for National Sweetheart Title|date=25 August 1967|work=The News-Messenger}}</ref>  Most contestants were the first runners-up in their state pageants, but second and other runners-up are invited if the first runner-up chooses not to attend.<ref name="island">{{cite news|title=Still Dreaming of Miss America Crown?|publisher=The Island Packet|url=https://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=AW8iAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vKwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1423,519997&dq=national-sweetheart+hoopeston&hl=en|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130222231811/http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=AW8iAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vKwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1423,519997&dq=national-sweetheart+hoopeston&hl=en|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 22, 2013}}</ref>  The winner of the title receives a $1,200 scholarship and a pendant shaped like an ear of corn.<ref name="island" />

Winning this title does not guarantee that a contestant will win a Miss America state title, but since 1980, five Miss National Sweetheart winners have gone on to win both their state and the Miss America title.<ref name="island" />  Since 1970 there have been nine Miss America titleholders who have competed in the National Sweetheart pageant.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2016-09-01/national-sweetheart-pageant-soldiers-28-contestants.html|title=National Sweetheart Pageant soldiers on with 28 contestants|last=Crane|first=Tracy|date=1 September 2006|work=News-Gazette}}</ref>

In 2016, the Miss America organization officially disassociated itself with the Miss National Sweetheart Organization. Pursuant to their decision, Miss America state pageant contestants are prohibited from competing for Miss National Sweetheart.<ref name="MissASaysNay">{{cite web|first= Nicolas |last= Huba |url= http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/missamerica/miss-america-hopefuls-can-t-do-national-sweetheart-pageant-report/article_525d5eb2-de7e-11e5-8007-d356ca23b416.html |publisher= Press of Atlantic City |title=Miss America hopefuls can't do National Sweetheart pageant, report says |date=February 28, 2016}}</ref>