Austin resident Angela McDermott, Miss Minnesota 2008, who will be participating in the Miss America pageant Jan. 24, will take part in a reality show, “Countdown to the Crown,” which begins to air on TLC at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2.

Open houses to meet-and-greet McDermott before she leaves for Miss America will be held Jan. 4 and 10 in Austin and Bloomington, Minn., respectively, where McDermott will model her Miss America wardrobe and perform her Miss America talent.

These are both free and open to the public.  Donations will be accepted to support the Miss Minnesota scholarship program and to help defray Angie’s costs to attend Miss America.

Each one-hour episode of “Countdown to the Crown,” hosted by Tyler Harcott, finds the contestants living on the Queen Mary ocean liner and navigating through a series of team and individual competitions that help them prepare for the pageant and prove they have what it takes to be a modern-day Miss America. Through it all, viewers at home get to know the girls, and ultimately have a hand in voting four contestants into the pageant.

“Miss America continues to evolve to reflect today’s young woman, and remains incredibly forward-thinking as it develops a new generation of intelligent, thoughtful and passionate contestants,” said Art McMaster, President/CEO of the Miss America Organization.

McDermott, 24, is the daughter of Rod and Jean McDermott and a graduate of the University of Minnesota Duluth and Austin High School. Her grandparents are Del and Phyllis Freund and Howard and Rita (deceased) McDermott, all of Austin.

She is an accomplished singer, dancer, violinist and speaker, and has performed in Costa Rica and Europe with the University of Minnesota University Singers.

McDermott was the president of Pi Sigma Epsilon Delta Sigma (Sales and Marketing Organization) in college and completed an internship as assistant media director with Grandma’s Marathon, Inc. in Duluth. She plans to use her communication skills in public relations or event planning.

Passionate about higher education and our nation’s youth, McDermott has taught the Get Ready! early college awareness program to fourth and fifth grade students in an elementary school in Austin and the Neighborhood House in St. Paul. She will continue to promote early college awareness around the state through mini-lessons and school residencies.

McDermott has also worked with youth as a tutor with the Americorp program and as a camp counselor at YMCA Camp Olson residential camp.