Pageant News Bureau - Party girl

P a g e a n t N e w s B u r e a u

16 candles
and a bevy of beauties

Photos by Joe Whiteko / PNB

Some folks say the birthday party for Elena LaQuatra, Miss Pennsylvania's Outstanding Teen 2008, was the highlight of the 2008 Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas.

Well, she would never say that, because she's too nice. And PNB would never say it, because PNB is so careful about what it says. But a lot of people went away from that bash with fond memories

The girls of Miss America's Outstanding Teen don't have a reputation for flashiness, but they certainly caught our eye. Is there anything cuter than a bunch of nice young women having a good time? It was innocent but sassy, and yes, these girls are lookers.

They danced, they had cake, they got silly and sentimental, and they are going to remember it fondly for a lifetime.

Allison Carlos, New York's Outstanding Teen

Above: Callie Thompson of Texas, BrieAnna Hester of North Carolina, Chantal Wilson of Minnesota and Abigail Rodriquez of Oregon get cheeky. At left: Allison Carlos, New York's Outstanding Teen.

From left: Michaela Lackey of Georgia and BrieAnna Hester of North Carolina

Ms. LaQuatra is a remarkable young women who speaks her mind. She lost her hearing at a very young age, so she got a cochlear implant and is proud of it. We hear this is a sensitive subject in the deaf community, but she's the CI's greatest advocate.

You never heard of a cochlear implant? It's what pageant people call the "other implant." (That's a naughtier joke than anything you'll ever hear at a MAOT party, but we liked it.)

P a g e a n t N e w s B u r e a u

16 candlesand a bevy of beauties

16 candles
and a bevy of beauties