Miss America Pageant Won by Hawaii College Student

Miss Hawaii, Carolyn Suzanne Sapp, was crowned Miss America early today.

Sapp smiled, wept and then knelt to receive her crown before walking down the runway waving to the crowd, blowing kisses and at one point pumping her fist in victory.

Sapp, 24, of Honolulu, is the first contestant from her state to become Miss America.

Miss New York, Marisol Montalvo, 23, of Holbrook, was first runner-up. Miss Missouri, Soncee Brown, 24, of Springfield, was chosen second runner-up and third runner-up was Miss Iowa, Lisa Somodi, 23, of Muscatine. Fourth runner-up was Miss Mississippi, Mary Allison Hurdle, 24, of Holly Springs.

Sapp, who has studied voice for two years, impressed the judges and audience with her vocal rendition of Fats Waller’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” She also won one of three preliminary swimsuit competitions last week.

A junior at the University of Hawaii-Hilo, Sapp is majoring in political science and international relations. She said she hopes to direct the Hawaii state Office of International Relations.

Sapp also said she would use her appearances as Miss America to promote racial unity. She said tension between people of different races will disappear when people “learn and understand to respect different cultures.”

She said living her entire life in Hawaii’s multicultural society has helped her learn about cultures other than her own.

The new Miss America receives a $35,000 scholarship out of the $5 million in scholarship money the pageant disburses at the local, state and national levels. She also makes appearance fees estimated to range up to $200,000.

Sapp succeeds last year’s Miss America, Marjorie Judith Vincent, 26, of Oak Park, Ill.

The program was hosted this year for the first time by television talk show personalities Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford, who replaced Gary Collins and former Miss America Phyllis George.

Pageant chief executive officer Leonard Horn said he hired the pair to inject spontaneity into the live television broadcast.

Also missing from this year’s contest was former pageant emcee Bert Parks, who was not asked to return after making a gaffe-filled appearance last year. Pageant officials deny that Parks’ performance was behind the decision not to invite him back.