Pageant News Bureau - Miss America Coverage 1997

The local angle

Before they won their state titles, most of this year's Miss America contestants represented local venues.
Rachel Binder of Maine was Miss Aroostook County, representing the northernmost section of her home state. This region became famous in the early 1800s as the site of the Aroostook War. It's a unique war in American history because nobody was killed. That's the kind of conflict everyone should fight.

Beth Stomps of Alabama was Miss Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
The state known as the Heart of Dixie has contributed enormously to American music. Montgomery alone gave the world two unforgettable performers, Nat "King" Cole and the original Hank Williams.
The hall of fame and its museum are in Tuscumbia.

Beth Stomps

Candice Little of Georgia was Miss Lake Lanier. The lake, known as "Atlanta's Ocean," was the venue for rowing events in the 1996 Olympics.
It has two interesting literary connections: It's named for Sydney Lanier, the 19th-century poet who wrote "Song of the Chattahoochee," about the river that was later dammed to create the lake. Also, the building of the dam in the 1950s inspired a young poet to write his first novel. The writer was James Dickey, and the novel was "Deliverance."

Candice Little

Role model rush

Jaime Fox, Miss Maryland, says the best part of competing at Miss America has been seeing the admiration in children's eyes. She was especially impressed when a class of elementary school children got to meet contestants during an event to promote literacy. "They really look up to us," Ms. Fox said.

More talent in less time

The talent competition at Miss America is still important in determining the winner, but like swimsuits, the event has "shrunk" just a little. Contestants used to get 2 1/2 minutes to show their abilities; now they get 2 minutes.

The local angle

Role model rush

More talent in less time

More PNB coverage of Miss America '97 ...