Miss Oregon wins swimsuit preliminary

By Associated Press Published: Jan 30, 2010 at 12:58 PM PST Last Updated: Jan 30, 2010 at 8:48 PM PST
Miss Oregon wins swimsuit preliminary
Miss Oregon CC Barber won $1,000 wearing this Winnwear-brand swimsuit during the performances leading up to Saturday night's Miss America pageant. Photo courtesy Miss America Pageant

LAS VEGAS (AP) – The Miss America contestant from Oregon has won one of two preliminary awards heading up to the Miss America pageant staged Saturday, Jan. 30, in Las Vegas.

Miss Oregon CC Barber won the "Lifestyle and Fitness" preliminary competition, earning with it a $1,000 scholarship to the school of her choice. This win also gives her a leg up for the Miss America crown: composite scores from preliminary competitions count 30 percent toward the final competition, to be held Saturday night at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

Besides the talent and swimsuit competitions, the contestants also are judged on a private interview, an on-stage question and an evening gown competition.

Barber is a 23 year old from Scappoose, Ore. She reportedly attended Scappoose High School and Samuel Merritt University in Oakland, Calif. with a goal of becoming a family nurse practitioner. To get to Saturday night's Miss America stage she won Miss Tri Valley and then Miss Oregon. Her platform focuses on volunteering for the Portland-based "Friends of the Children" program, which mentors high-risk youth.

Also taking a preliminary award was Miss Michigan Nicole Blaszczyk, who won a $2,000 scholarship Thursday night for her dance performance to Beth Hart's "Lifetime." It also is being reported that Miss Oklahoma Taylor Treat won a $6,000 scholarship for her volunteering and community service.

According to a press release from the Miss America Organization, this program is "the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women and one of the nation's leading achievement programs." In 2009, Miss America made available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance. 

One of the seven judges for the 2010 Miss America Pageant is Miss America 2002 Katie Harman. Harman won the competition as Miss Oregon. 

UPDATE: Miss Oregon CC Barber's combined scores were not enough to carry her into the top 10 of Saturday night's Miss America competition. Miss Virginia went on to win the 2010 Miss America crown.