Raleigh, NC-- North Carolina has a new queen.
Hailey Best, 20, Miss Durham was crowned the new Miss North Carolina on Saturday night.
A Meredith College student, 20-year-old Best is from Goldsboro.
Best just completed two years at Meredith and had planned to continue her education as a junior this fall at the North Carolina School of the Arts, but those plans will have to wait as she goes on to compete in the 2012 Miss America Pageant.
Hailey Best is the daughter of Michael and Kimberly Best of Goldsboro. Her service platform is the "Live On Foundation", which enables children ages eight to eighteen, who currently reside in battered women's shelters, homeless shelters, group homes and children's homes to participate in academic, athletic, and artistic programs, that would otherwise be unavailable to them.
Best's vocal performance of "Art is Calling for Me," helped her edge out Virginia Brown, Miss Garner.
Best takes home the $13,500 in scholarship winnings. As first runner-up, Brown will receive a $5,000 scholarship.
Rounding out the top five:
- First runner-up - Virginia Brown, Miss Garner
- Second runner-up - Maddison Sheppard, Miss Gastonia
- Third runner-up - Katie Mills, Miss Fayetteville
- Fourth runner-up - Mary Tucker, Miss Coastal Carolina
The only Miss North Carolina to ever win the Miss America title, Maria Beale Fletcher, was honored at the event. It marked the 50th anniversary of her title.
SLIDESHOW: MISS NORTH CAROLINA
WFMY News 2