Showmanship Reigns in Hollywood East

Miss Florida USA 2007, backed by 27 years of TV experience, brings a viewing audience of millions along for a thrilling ride at its latest stellar state pageant finals.

TRANSITION TEAM: At this crowning moment, the Miss Florida USA honors are passed from outgoing Miss FL USA ’06 Cristin Duren (R) to the new Miss FL USA ’07 Jenna Edwards. Prior to that, the Top 5 (inset) step forward to give the judges and audience one more viewing in evening gowns.

The beautiful and talented ladies of the Miss Florida USA Pageant were in Hollywood, Florida, for a full week of pageantry, fun, and friendship around the host city. In addition to an enthusiastic live audience, the grand finale presentation was also witnessed on a statewide and international broadcast that reached 70 countries worldwide.

Sixty-five finalists culled from more than 1,200 applicants through qualifying pageants from Pensacola to Key West converged on the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa for the exciting culmination to the Miss Florida USA 2007 competition.

The contestants — who rehearsed at the world-famous hotel and competed at Bailey Concert Hall on the Central Campus of Broward Community College — were vying for the Miss Florida USA 2007 crown, in a show that marked the 56th anniversary of competition and the 27th year of broadcasts by Tel-Air Interests.

This year’s five-day competition began on Tuesday, and culminated with the crowning of Miss Florida USA 2007 Saturday. The new Miss Florida USA winner will have a year of appearances and training for the national title. More than 5 million viewers worldwide saw the Pageant Finals in Saturday’s live, two-hour show. The pageant was also the first to provide daily video streamed reports on YouTube.com, so fans could see the pageantry unfolding.

Jenna Edwards of North Miami has been crowned Miss Florida USA 2007. Miss Edwards, who entered the pageant as Miss North Miami USA, was a 24-year-old student at the University of Miami, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Studies and English Literature. Jenna has been featured three times as a model in Pageantry’s formal fashion showcase, the largest on-location photo shoot in the country featuring the country’s leading evening wear designers. She also is the founder of a nonprofit organization — Queen for a Day — that hosts makeover parties for girls with cancer.

Yazmin Navarro of Miami (Sunset Place USA) finished 1st Runner-up and won the Pageantry magazine Miss Photogenic Award. Other finalists were 2nd Runner-up Ashley Panaggio of Deland, representing Volusia County USA; 3rd Runner-up Amy Diaz, who represented Homestead and The Florida Keys USA; and 4th Runner-up Genevieve Jahn of Orlando, representing Miss Fort Meyers USA. The PageantDiva.com Miss Amity prize was awarded to Vida Sheffield from Pensacola.