14 DAY TRIAL // Over the weekend, America got a brand new beauty queen, as 22-year-old Caressa Cameron from Virginia won the hearts of the audiences and, most importantly, of the judges and was awarded the much-coveted tiara and title. Part of her prize is a $50,000 scholarship and a year of press events as the new Miss America, People magazine informs.
“Dressed in a floor-length yellow gown and chandelier earrings, Caressa Cameron, a 22-year-old broadcast journalism student at Virginia Commonwealth University, won the title of Miss America 2010 on Saturday night at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas,” the publication writes. Cameron was, of course, overwhelmed with emotion when her name was announced, but it was clear to all that she did, indeed, deserve to win.
Before being crowned by last year’s winner, Katie Stam, who happily handed her the tiara and the traditional bouquet of flowers, Cameron wowed the crowds and won over judges with a rendition of Beyonce’s “Listen” from the motion picture “Dreamgirls.” Clearly, not an easy task – that of singing a Beyonce track – but Caressa pulled it through. She also got major points for stressing in her speech the importance of spending time outdoors and getting more exercise.
“[She told] kids to turn off the TV and to get outside and exercise during the interview segment of the competition. ‘We need to get our kids back outside, playing with sticks in the street like I did when I was little,’ Cameron told judges after host Mario Lopez asked her a question about physical fitness and childhood obesity. In being crowned Miss America, Cameron won a $50,000 scholarship and embarks on a year-long reign representing the organization. Her runner up, Miss California Kristy Cavinder, won a $25,000 scholarship,” People further informs.
The beauty pageant was broadcast live on TLC. Judges included actress Vivica A. Fox, Rush Limbaugh, Brooke White, Shawn Johnson and Dave Koz.