Virginia, there is a new Miss America

Miss Virginia Caressa Cameron was crowned Miss America 2010 during a two-hour event Saturday night at Planet Hollywood. Cameron, 22, received the traditional crown and roses from 2009 Miss America Katie Stam. She also won a $50,000 scholarship.

Miss America 2010 Winner Caressa Cameron, whose career ambition is to become a television news anchor, is from Fredericksburg, Va. Her platform issue was "Real Talk: AIDS in America." Cameron had an uncle who died from AIDS, and said her goal is to foster "a meaningful conversation" about HIV/AIDS.

"I am so excited to be embarking on this journey," Cameron said during a post-pageant news conference.

Cameron remembers watching the Miss America pageant on TV when she was 7 and being attracted even then by the ability Miss America offered to "make a difference."

"I knew this organization was a perfect fit for me," she said. "That's when I decided I wanted to take my journey and not only impact (her own town) but also my state and also impact America."

This year's Miss America competition included 53 contestants representing all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and, for the first time after a 50-year absence, Puerto Rico.

Miss Nevada Christina Keegan was not one of the evening's 15 semifinalists. However, Keegan, 24, from Gardnerville, last week was named second-runner-up for the pageant's Quality of Life award, which honors contestants' community service efforts.

Keegan's Miss America platform was "Strength Over Silence: Rape Education and Recovery." She was, herself, a victim of sexual violence several years ago while studying in Spain.

Pageant judges selected as semifinalists contestants representing Tennessee, Colorado, California, Indiana, Hawaii, Louisiana, the District of Columbia, New Mexico, Virginia, Texas and Nebraska.

Also making the semifinals through an "America's Choice" vote by television viewers were contestants from Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kentucky.

Finally, in a new twist on voting, remaining contestants who weren't selected as semifinalists chose Miss Oregon to round out the field of 15 semifinalists.

That field then was eventually whittled down to Cameron and her court: First runner-up Miss California Kristy Cavinder, second runner-up Miss Tennessee Stefanie Wittler, third runner-up Miss Louisiana Katherine Putnam and fourth runner-up Miss Kentucky Mallory Ervin.

For the talent portion of the pageant, winner Cameron sang "Listen" from "Dreamgirls." For her onstage interview, Cameron -- who, like other contestants, answered questions submitted by everyday people -- was asked what should be done about teen obesity.

Cameron answered that the solution is to "take away the TV (and) take away the video games" and then encourage kids to go outside to play games.

It was a night for sashes, spangles and tiaras even off of the stage.

Before the pageant, the theater lobby was filled with queens of all ages and titles and from all locales. Many held signs or posters or wore buttons cheering on their home state favorites, even if some of the signs -- a hearty "We Love Miss Georgia," for instance -- were, perhaps, vague enough for multiyear use.

Inside the theater, the atmosphere was that of a classy, and very raucous, pep rally. Audience members hardly needed to be reminded to cheer lustily, and blocs of fans rose to their feet with the slightest provocation.

Before the live telecast began, a nod to tradition was offered with onstage introductions of 24 former Miss Americas dating from the '40s to the present, including actress Lee Meriwether (1955), former sportscaster Phyllis George (1971) and Fox News host Gretchen Carlson (1989).

But, from then on, the mood was inarguably contemporary, kicked off by a high-energy opening dance number that featured all 53 contestants.

Pressures of competition aside, the mood also was fun, with several contestants offering witty twists on the standard state introductions.

Miss Alaska Sydnee Waggoner assured us that "I can't see Russia from my house," Miss Minnesota Brooke Kelly Kilgarriff complained that the New Orleans Saints "stole my intro," and Miss New Jersey Ashley Shaffer, alluding to the MTV series "Jersey Shore," maintained that "no, I don't know 'The Situation.'"

The first Miss America pageant was held in 1921. In 2006, the event left its native Atlantic City and moved to Las Vegas.

Contestants officially arrived in Las Vegas Jan. 21 and participated in a number of public events before beginning preliminary competition last week.

TV host Mario Lopez hosted this year's pageant finale. Judging the contestants were Miss America 2002 Katie Harman, actress Vivica A. Fox, Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson, musician Dave Koz, radio commentator Rush Limbaugh and former "American Idol" contestant Brooke White.