Congratulations, Miss Teen Kansas — the 2018 Miss Teen USA winner.
Thunderous cheers erupted as Hailey Colborn was announced Friday in Shreveport as the new Miss Teen USA.
Colborn is a 17-year-old student from Wichita, Kansas.
She was one of 51 participating contestants, representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The young women went through rounds of preliminary interviews, then on-stage presentations in athletic wear and evening gowns on Wednesday at Horseshoe Casino's Riverdome.
Friday's final event was held at George's Pond at Hirsch Coliseum in Shreveport.
The 15 semifinalists announced at the finals were: Janeice Love (California), Caleigh Shade (Maryland), Sydni-Dion Bennett (Illinois), Britney Barnhart (Nevada), Savannah Miles (Georgia), Chloe Zambrano (Colorado), Anane Loveday (Michigan), Sofie Rovenstine (Tennessee), Kaaviya Sambasivam (North Carolina), Madilen Kellogg (Utah), Kirby Elizabeth Self (South Carolina), Lindsey Conque (Louisiana), Hailey Colborn (Kansas), Trinity Tiffany (West Virginia) and Lou Schieffelin (Florida).
he 15 moved forward to on-stage presentations in the categories of athletic wear.
The top 10 were announced, taking California, Maryland, Nevada, Michigan, West Virginia and Florida out of the running. They were presented in the evening gown round.
Then five moved on, getting a final question from the judges. They ended the competition as follows: fourth runner-up, North Carolina; third runner-up, Illinois; second runner-up, Colorado; and first runner-up, South Carolina.
Before the big announcement, the Miss Congeniality award was presented to Kennedy Cromeens of Alabama.
And in an outpouring of cheers and tears, Miss Teen Kansas was deemed winner and given the crown by her predecessor, the 2017 Miss Teen USA Sophia Dominguez-Heithoff.
Source: Shreveport Times, 5/18/2018