Jen Corey (Miss D.C. '09) with Stephanie Williams, Miss District of Columbia '10.
Your Miss District of Columbia has been crowned.
Stephanie Williams took home the title of top pageantista last night among 17 contestants at the Lincoln Theater.
“It’s so historic,” said Executive Director Teri Galvez. “We’ve been there for the past three years. We’ve jumped around different places and outgrown most venues.”
l:r: Kim Kardashian and Teri Galvez
Already Williams is prepping for two events tomorrow, the July 4th parade in the District and mock interview sessions with fellows at the Institute of World Politics. But growth is common for this pageant, growing from nine contestants since Galvez and her committee took over in 2003.
“We’re not Texas,” she said. “Pageants are not a common thing in D.C and people don’t understand what we do. So, we have to recruit people and get great contestants.”
Williams was the first runner-up in 2009, continuing a national trend according to Galvez where multiple first runner-ups are taking their state’s respective crown in 2010. Practice made perfect for the George Washington University student, who just finishing taking her United States Medical Licensing Exam prior to the last pageant of 15 across the nation.
It doesn’t hurt that the runner-ups Sopen Shah, Maria Theresa Grinneby, Ashton Kunkle and Sophia Davis represent the spectrum of D.C.’s residents. In case you were wondering, a Harvard graduate, a school teacher, working for Mayor Fenty and finally on Capitol Hill in the Senate.
“D.C. being the city with the smartest people in the United States, I think, we’re very excited she’s representing us,” said Galvez.
Williams will compete for Miss America in Las Vegas on January 15th.
Ed Senn with Miss Rhode Island and Miss Rhode Island World.