It was all hugs, smiles, and just a few tears as Miss Louisiana Justine Ker said goodbye to family and friends, and boarding a plane to compete for Miss America. Representing New Jersey is 22-year-old Mantua resident, Brenna Weick.
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“A lot of emotions are going through my head right now, but the one big emotion now is excitement”, Miss Louisiana 2016 Justine Ker said.
Ker’s platform for the competition is called “A Beautiful Mind: Promoting Positive Mental Health”.
“She started competing in Miss Louisiana Outstanding Teen and she got the title in 2011 and then she competed in Miss Louisiana and she is our first Fleur de Lis Princess to come back and win Miss Louisiana Outstanding Teen and Miss Louisiana”, says Ker.
The new Miss America will be crowned September 11.
All will have their chance next week in Atlantic City, as preliminary competition – baton-twirling, tap-dancing, swimsuit strutting and all – starts at the 2017 Miss America pageant.
At the ceremony, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno repeated a familiar storyline about how she believes the return of the pageant brought hope to the Shore after Hurricane Sandy.
“I’m also here to prove that you can be smart, you can have a degree in neuroscience and go to medical school”, she added.
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The preliminary competition will start on August 6 and run through August 8. Miss America is now under contract with ABC to air on the network through the September 2018 pageant.
