Senior Hilary Ball will representIdaho
ByKara HolmanContributor
She’s a dedicated student and a beauty queen.
Hilary Ball, a senior at San Diego State, will be competing in theMiss USA competition on Friday night.
Ball is from Nampa, Idaho and was crowned Miss Idaho lastNovember, and will represent her state in the Miss USA competition.
She has never competed in any previous pageants.
Ball is pursuing a double degree in psychology and liberal studieswith an emphasis in child development.
Along with the other 50 delegates competing for the title, Ballhas been involved in preliminary events throughout this month. Theseevents lead into the final competition that will be hosted by DeionSanders and televised live at 9 p.m. March 1 from Gary, Ind. on CBS.
“I’m here to have a great time and make friends,” Ball said. “Winor lose, I want to leave having the experience of a lifetime.”
Ball has worked with a personal fitness trainer for thecompetition, but has done all of the other preparations on her own.
The semi-finalists are chosen from their scores in threepreliminary areas: the interviews, the swimsuit competition and theevening gown competition. The 10 semi-finalists then compete in thesethree areas again, which are televised live. These new scores selectthe next Miss USA.
“The swimsuit competition is a great way to show how hard we haveworked for our goals,” Ball said. “I don’t think it’s degrading towomen.”
Ball volunteers at the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation andthe Veterans Home of Chula Vista. She also works part-time as amake-up artist for Lancome at Nordstrom in the Fashion Valley Mall.
If awarded the title of Miss USA, Ball says her main prioritywould be to spend the year promoting the issues of her nationalcharity, which are breast and ovarian cancer awareness andprevention.
In 1952, 30 women competed for the first Miss USA crown in LongBeach, Calif. This year 51 women will compete in the 51st annualcompetition.
The judges for the competition are Dr. Joyce Brothers, Kim Powers,a cast member from CBS’ Survivor, supermodel Audrey Quock and NikkiZiering from CBS’ The Price is Right.
Miss USA 2002 will be awarded more than 10 prizes, from a $3,200Hoya Crystal trophy to a $45,000 scholarship from The School for Filmand Television in New York City. The winner will also be given aluxury New York City apartment that she will live in for the year ofher reign.
