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HPU student wins
Miss Hawai'i USA
by Jenny Lundahl, associate editor
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An HPU communication major, Juliet Lighter,
was crowned Miss Hawai‘i USA on May 27 at the Sheraton Waikiki
Ballroom. HPU was well represented at this year’s pageant, a
preliminary for the 2002 Miss USA, with five girls out of 12
being HPU students. These young women, from all over Hawai‘i,
competed in three categories: swimsuit, interview, and evening
gown.
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| The interview took place before the pageant, but
the Sheraton Waikiki audience had the opportunity to enjoy the
two other categories, as well as a fashion show and performances
by local entertainer Jordan Segundo. |
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As winner, Lighter has her choice of an $8,500 scholarship
from HPU or a $10,000 scholarship from Johnson & Wales University.
She will also compete with 49 other girls for the 2002 Miss
USA title, and if she wins, she will go on to compete for Miss
Universe.
Lighter is a junior with a minor in public relations. She was
raised on Oahu and her pageantry experiences began in 1996.
Lighter said that there are many ways to prepare for Miss Hawai‘i
USA, but for her it was spiritually, mentally, emotionally,
and physically.
“Spiritually meaning that I’m a new-born Christian. I put my
faith and trust in God,” said Lighter. She also goes to the
gym six days a week and is constantly watching the news and
reading newspapers in order to keep herself up-to-date with
what’s going on in the world.
Lighter is looking forward to representing Hawai‘i in the national
Miss USA pageant and hopes to make it to the top 10. Her ultimate
goals, she said, are: “I want to work nationally to bring out
the awareness of domestic violence, travel around the world,
marry my best friend, and start a family of my own.”
Alicia Michioka, a journalism major at HPU minoring in advertising,
was the first runner up at the pageant, which was presented
by 2 Couture under the direction of Eric Chandler and Takeo.
Michioka, who is an award-winning editor of Kalamalama, the
university newspaper, has been participating in pageants since
1994. As first runner up, Michioka needs to be prepared to take
over the crown if something prevents Lighter from keeping her
title.
HPU sponsors the first runner up with a 50 percent scholarship.
“I don’t participate in a pageant unless it has an HPU scholarship,”
said Michioka. “My schooling here at HPU is paid for from running
in pageants.” Second runner up Lauren Nishiki also received
a 50 percent HPU scholarship.
Two more scholarship pageants are scheduled this fall: Miss
World Hawaii, Sep. 22, and Miss Haleiwa Sea Spree, Oct. 19.
Deadline is Aug. 30. Call 520-8119 and for applications.
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Pageant
Facts
by Jenny Lundahl, associate editor
Two major pageants are available to young
women: Miss USA and Miss America. These two pageants
differ from each other in several ways. Miss America
is the original beauty pageant that started on the mainland
in the 1920s. Originally, the format for the contest
was a swimsuit competition. This evolved to include
eveningwear, and then an interview. The talent competition
was added in 1935. Scholarships were not offered as
prizes until 1945 and have grown from $5,000 a year
in awards to $25,000.
In today’s Miss America pageant, talent
is 40 percent of the overall score. The interview is
30 percent, while evening gown and swimsuit each count
for 15 percent. Contestants must be between 18-25, never
married and without children, and must have won another
beauty pageant in order to enter.
The Miss USA pageant organization grew
out of a disagreement between the two creators of Miss
America. The creator of Miss USA wanted the pageant
to be more beauty oriented. Therefore, this pageant
has only three categories: swimsuit, evening gown, and
interview, all of equal importance in the judging process.
In Hawai‘i, both pageants require a $500
entry fee, which contestants generally get from sponsors.
Both pageants offer winners 100 percent scholarships
at HPU, while first and second runners-up receive 50
percent scholarship each. HPU also offers scholarships
for Miss Hawaii/Miss Hawaii USA Teen, for a total of
six scholarships. Young women, who are considering pageantry
as a way to finance their education, should remember
that at least nine months of local residence is required.
Source: "Miss America – In pursuit of
the crown," by Ann-Marie Bivans.
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