DEL.ICIO.USMiss Georgia winner chooses teaching over title
Miss Cobb County takes crown and sash and chance at Miss America
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, June 29, 2009
Few were surprised when Kristina Higgins’ name was announced Saturday night as the new Miss Georgia. It was her third try at the title, after all, and she was second runner-up the year before.
So it came as quite a shock when the 24-year-old special education instructor told pageant officials she’d rather teach.
Sunday morning, with but one formality remaining before officially realizing her dream, Kristina Higgins opted not to sign the contract to be Miss Georgia 2009.
Emily Cook, Miss Cobb County, assumed the Miss Georgia crown and sash and chance at Miss America when Kristina Higgins gave up the title to teach in Gwinnett County.
“She was one of the girls to beat,” said Emily Cook, runner-up to Higgins, who ran as Miss Capital City. “I really thought she deserved it.”
Sunday morning, with but one formality remaining before officially realizing her dream, Higgins opted not to sign the contract to be Miss Georgia 2009. Within minutes, Cook was called, and the reigning Miss Cobb County assumed the crown and sash wearing shorts and a T-shirt later that afternoon.
And yes, she signed on the dotted line.
Higgins hasn’t returned calls seeking comment, but Gwinnett County Schools spokeswoman Sloan Roach confirmed the former substitute was recently hired as a special education instructor at Snellville Middle School. New teachers report for orientation in July.
Higgins’ brother said Monday the family stands by her decision.
“I will support her, whatever she wants to do,” said Bradley Higgins, 16, who was en route to football practice at Hebron Christian Academy. “I’m just proud of her.”
Cook said she thinks it was a matter of timing.
“I think it worked out for both of us,” said the reigning Miss Cobb County, who was driving home to Marietta with her mother Sunday when she got the call. “I was sound asleep.”
Unlike Higgins, Cook was a relative rookie, competing in a statewide pageant for the first time Saturday.
“She was in the top 15 for Miss UM (University of Miami, where Cook received her bachelor’s degree),” her mother, Annie Cook, said. “She wore a dress from Ross she had bought for $7.”
Cook will receive a $15,000 cash scholarship for law school (on hold), a new Kia and wardrobe for the Miss America pageant in January.
Higgins will be in her second semester as a teacher then — one dream deferred, another realized.
Staff writer D. Aileen Dodd contributed to this report.
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