Miss Virginia Caressa Cameron crowned Miss America
Miss Virginia Caressa Cameron, a Fredericksburg native, was crowned Miss America at the great annual spectacle in Las Vegas Saturday night.
The 22 year-old sang the “Dreamgirls” ballad “Listen,” rocked a bright-yellow evening gown, and exhorted kids to get off the couch and play outdoors – and did so with just enough spunk and charisma to win a $50,000 scholarship over 52 other women.
It was a big night for the Beltway: Cameron, who won the Miss Virginia title last summer as a representative of the Miss Arlington pageant, was joined in the top 10 by opera-singing AU grad Miss D.C. Jen Corey.
Cameron emerged as an early favorite, having won a talent prize during preliminary competition this week. But the Virginia Commonwealth University communications major truly broke away from the pack during Saturday night’s interview portion. While the other six finalists gave halting answers, Cameron seemed prepared for the pop-question about what to do about the epidemic of teen obesity.
“Take away the TV, take away the video games, set some standards for our children!” she proclaimed, eyes a-sparkle, avoiding any ums and you-knows. Children, she said, should be encouraged to go outside, “playing imaginary games with sticks in the street like I did when I was little.”
