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Sunday, October 15, 2000

Hawaiian is named Miss America 2001

Angela Perez Baraquio, 24, plans to push education; Miss Louisiana takes second

By John Curran
Associated Press

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Miss Hawaii Angela Perez Baraquio, an elementary school gym teacher, was crowned Miss America 2001 on Saturday night. The 24-year-old said she plans to promote character education during her yearlong reign.
   Baraquio gasped when co-host Donny Osmond announced her name, and then hugged first runner-up Miss Louisiana Faith Jenkins before ducking down to receive the crown and begin the traditional runway walk.
   Miss California Rita Ng, the first Asian-American woman to win that state's title, was second runner-up, followed by Miss Mississippi Christy May and Miss Kentucky Whitney Boyles.
   Along with the crown, Baraquio won a $50,000 scholarship. Her recent predecessors as Miss America have received as much as $250,000 in appearance fees during their reigns.
   In addition to teaching at a Catholic elementary school in Honolulu, Baraquio is the school's athletic director and coaches basketball, volleyball and track. She said she wants to obtain a master's degree in educational foundations and eventually become a school administrator.
   Baraquio grew up with nine siblings in Hawaii and said she enjoys boogie-boarding, playing beach volleyball, Tae Bo exercises and Latin dancing. She plays keyboard for an all-girl rock group called High Tide, and did a hula dance for the talent competition.
   Among the other contestants in the 80th annual pageant Saturday was Miss Iowa Theresa Uchytil, 24, who learned how to twirl the baton despite being born with only one hand.
   For the first time, the panel of celebrity judges also included the winner of an Instant Celebrity Judge sweepstakes.
   Melanie Brock, a 46-year-old marketing executive from Lansing, Mich., was chosen from among 70,000 entries, and joined Olympic gold medalist Lenny Krayzelburg on the judging panel.
   Baraquio succeeds Miss America 2000 Heather French, 25, of Maysville, Ky., the daughter of a disabled Vietnam veteran who spent her year campaigning on behalf of homeless veterans.
  

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