Friday, February 09, 2007

Columbia Missourian - Miss Missouri is all smiles after national pageant

Columbia Missourian - Miss Missouri is all smiles after national pageant: "Miss Missouri is all smiles after national pageant

By SARAH KOCI
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Sarah French picked out her evening dress and song for Monday’s Miss America talent competition with help from her grandfather. But just weeks before the pageant, he died.

French was devastated. For a moment, she thought she might not compete at all.

“My grandfather was my best friend,” French said. “I’m proud of myself for overcoming (his death) and taking it and using it to the best of my ability to compete.”

Although she didn’t make the top 10, she did make 51 new best friends.

French was part of the first group of contestants in the history of the Miss America pageant to meet each other before the competition. The group first met in Los Angeles in September to film the Country Music Television reality show, “Finding Miss America.” Meeting each other before the competition gave the contestants time to see each other as people instead of competitors."

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