American Pageant

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Miss DC Wins Miss USA Pageant

March 2, 2002

Miss District of Columbia has been chosen as Miss USA 2002.

Shauntay Hinton was crowned during the 51st Miss USA pageant on March 1 in Gary, Indiana. The pageant was broadcast on the CBS Television Network. Miss Hinton is the second delegate to win from the District of Columbia. Her predecessor won in 1964.

The live telecast was hosted by Deion Sanders, former professional baseball player and one of the NFL's all-time greatest football cornerbacks, and actress Ali Landry, Miss USA 1996. The judges panel consisted of Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Audrey Quock, Jackson Five member Jermaine Jackson, pop music siren Willa Ford, New England Patriots football player and Superbowl 2001 MVP Tom Brady, psychologist Dr. Joyce Brothers, CBS' Survivor Africa's Kim Powers, King of Queens co-star Victor Williams, and actress and model Nikki Ziering.

Throughout the two-hour event, the delegates competed in three categories, including swimsuit, evening gown and interview. During these competitions, highlighted with performances by country singer Sara Evans, R&B Vocalist Joe and Internationally acclaimed singer songwriter Michael Bolton, the "Top Five" and "Final Three" finalists were selected before the crowning.

At 23 years old, Shauntay Hinton is poised and ready to take over the national spotlight. A senior Broadcast Communications major at Howard University and a native of Starkville, Mississippi, this titleholder plans to be an anchorwoman for a major television network in the near future.

And, like her role model Oprah Winfrey, she also plans to become an entrepreneur, opening health and fitness boutiques after she is an established on-air personality. "Watching Oprah as I grew up, I felt like I connected with her. We are both from small towns in Mississippi, were broadcast communications majors and have succeeded in beauty competitions. Oprah is almost as ambitious as I am!" said Hinton

Only the second Miss USA from the District of Columbia in the competition's history, Hinton will support the official causes of Miss USA, breast and ovarian cancer education, research and legislation, by traveling nationwide as an advocate for organizations such as NABCO, the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, the National Breast Cancer Coalition and Gilda's Club, among others. She will also focus on the issues surrounding homelessness. Hinton's own father became homeless as a result of severe mental illness while she was very young. Though her work with groups like the "Help the Homeless Walkathon" and Miriam's Kitchen, she has seen the positive outcomes of providing alternatives to homeless individuals.

Hinton credits her grandmother, who went back to college in her late 60's to receive her degree, as being her top inspiration and says her mom, older brother and sister and even her pet turtle "Tyrone" have kept her grounded by "not letting me take things too seriously."

Final Results:

First Runner Up: Lindsay Douglas, Miss Kansas USA 2002, will assume the duties of MISS USA 2001 if the titleholder is named Miss Universe, or for some reason cannot fulfill her responsibilities.

Second Runner Up: Kelly Lloyd, Miss Indiana USA 2002

Rest of Top Five: Lanore VanBuren, Miss Minnesota USA 2002 Alita Hawaah, Miss Connecticut USA 2002

Rest of Top Ten: Tara Tucker, Miss Alabama USA 2002 Tarah Marie Peters, Miss California USA 2002 Anne-Katherine Lene, Miss Louisiana USA 2002 Karla Cavalli, Miss New York USA 2002 Janet Lynn Sutton, Miss Rhode Island USA 2002 Katherine Ashley Williams, Miss South Carolina USA 2002 Kasi Laine Kelly, Miss Texas USA 2002

Photogenic Award: Shannon Ford, Miss Florida USA 2002. The general public voted on the MISS USA website for the delegate who exemplifies beauty through the lens of a camera.

Congeniality Award: Meredith Lynn McCannel, Miss Montana USA 2002. The award reflects the respect and admiration of the delegate's peers, who voted for her as the most congenial, charismatic and inspirational participant.

Bluepoint Apparel Swimsuit and Fitness Award: Lanore VanBuren, Miss Minnesota USA 2002.

Click on your state to see your representative at the Miss USA pageant.