Alexa Jones Crowned Miss California Teen USA
Alexa Brielle Jones, 18, was crowned Miss California Teen USA on Sunday.
The former Miss Orange County USA is now Miss California, and she will be going on to represent California at the Miss Teen USA 2012 pageant in the Bahamas.
“She has been recognized for her outstanding leadership and academic achievement as the recipient of multiple scholarship awards,” read the Miss Orange County Teen Regional 2012 website.
“In addition she has earned the President Volunteer Service Award-Gold for her work with community and charitable organizations such as the American Cancer Society, Children’s Hospital and Muscular Dystrophy Association,” it also read. “She has served as a four-year member and Captain of the Varsity Cheer team at Ramona High School.”
The San Marcos resident beat out 100 other pageant contestants for the title. This is believed to be the highest number of contestants in the state pageant thus far.
Jones lost her father in a car accident and fought through anguish while competing for the title.
“I feel awesome. I'm so excited, and so calm,'' Jones told The Desert Sun. “It was a very tough weekend but it was very rewarding.”
The Desert Sun reported that the finalists for the Miss Teen USA 2012 pageant included first runner up Cassidy Marie Wolf, second runner up Tanita Morgan, third runner up Rachael Maurer, and fourth runner up Chloe Hatfield.
Jones entered college at age 17 and is a communications major at California State University.
Natalie Pack, 22, was crowned Miss California USA 2012 Sunday night in an event hosted at the McCallum Theatre. More than 400 contestants tried for the Miss California USA title.
This year’s Miss California USA 2012 featured- for the first time in the history of the state pageants- two openly lesbian contestants: Jenelle Hutcherson from Long Beach and Mollie Thomas from West Hollywood.
The contests are subsections of the Miss Universe Pageant, which is owned by New York business mogul Donald Trump.