Miss America has found Caressa Cameron's successor. Miss Nebraska Teresa Scanlan beat 52 other contestants at the beauty pageant ceremony held on Saturday, January 15 in Las Vegas. At 17, Scanlan becomes the youngest winner since the pageant made an age requirement between 17 to 24 in the year 1993 and the first to win from Nebraska.
Scanlan, who consequently won a $50,000 scholarship, would like to work on the issue of eating disorders. "I never passed up a cookie on my journey here," she joked. The Scottsbluff High School student also plans to go to law school, becomes a judge and then involves herself in the politic world. Her answer that helped judges determining the winner was, "At this point, attorneys and politicians are looked down on and have terrible reputations for being greedy and power hungry, and I really think it's important for people who have their heart and mind in the right place get into those powerful positions." In addition to her vision, judges were amazed by her talent in playing piano.
In winning the 2011 Miss America, Scanlan competed with five other finalists. They were Emoly West of Oklahoma, Jacquie Brown of Washington, Jalee Fuselier of Hawaii and Alyse Eady of Arkansas.
On Sunday, January 16, Miss'd America also crowned its winner. Designed for drag-queen since 1993 and traditionally held a day after Miss America, the pageant saw 32-year-old Kitty Hiccups, real name David Hyland, taking the title at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.