Morgan has held many titles, including “Miss Alcorn State University 2005,” “Miss Capital City Classic 2003” and the Miss Mississippi-qualifying “Miss Southwest 2006,” but the Miss Mississippi crown had eluded her.
As Miss Southwest, Morgan, who is 5-foot-8, was awarded a non-finalist talent scholarship. This year, as Miss Heritage, she was a preliminary talent winner for her rendition of “Summertime” from “Porgy and Bess.”
Singing wasn't always Morgan's strong point.
“When she was 5 or 6, my wife and I discovered that something was wrong because Kim was always reading lips,” Elzie Morgan said. “She would hum along but wasn't confident enough to sing.”
Morgan had multiple surgeries to correct her hearing problem. Then she started singing, and even majored in music at Alcorn.
The time and place for the Miss America Pageant have not been decided. This year's pageant was in Las Vegas in January.
So Morgan will spend her time making appearances across the state and preparing for Miss America.
“I want to represent Mississippi to the best of my ability. I want them to say, ‘That's our girl and we are supporting her 2,000 percent,'” she said.
After graduating from Alcorn, Morgan taught high school choral music in the Quitman County School District for the past year. She will leave teaching behind for a year while Miss Mississippi.
Morgan already has this week planned out for her - from Sunday's interviews, to Wednesday's portraits to a TV appearance on Friday. This is only the beginning and she has already received advice about dealing with the chaos of being Miss Mississippi from the departing titleholder, who pinned on her tiara at the Vicksburg Convention Center.
“Taryn Foshee told me this morning, ‘My best advice is to go with the flow. Just go with the flow and enjoy the moment,” Morgan said.
As Miss Mississippi, Morgan will receive a $15,000 scholarship in addition to her $300 preliminary talent scholarship and a $1,000 overall evening wear winner award.
After all the buzz has died down, Morgan hopes to thank, in person, those who gave their support while she has chased her dreams.
“I want to see my grandparents and go to my church,” she said.
Competing to become Miss America may not feel real yet, but it's on Morgan's mind.
“Right when she placed the crown on my head and the other contestants literally lifted me off the ground, they said, ‘You are going to be Miss America,' - and it hit me - I'm going to be Miss America.”
Posted By: Jason G
Monday, July 30th 2007 at 9:45AM
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