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A local television reporter from Kentucky has been crowned the newest Miss USA.
According to USA Today, Elle Smith, a local TV reporter, has walked away with the crown of Miss USA 2021. Smith, a broadcast news reporter for WHAS-TV in Louisville, took the crown at the annual Miss USA pageant on Monday night. The beauty competition took place at the River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Smith took the time to acknowledge her win on her Instagram account following her crowning. She mentions that she has already left to compete for the title of Miss Universe. That pageant will be taking place on Dec. 12 in Eilat, Israel.
“GOD IS SO GOOD. I am thrilled and honored to be your Miss USA 2021. I can’t say thank you enough to every single person who has supported me on this journey. Every single comment, every single message and prayer did not go unnoticed.
“To the great state of Kentucky, you will forever have my heart. You believed and loved on me since I was crowned in May and there is no other state I would have wanted to represent on the Miss USA stage.”
WHAS, where Smith works, reported that Smith is the second Miss Kentucky USA to have the Miss USA crown placed on her head. Tara Conner won the title in 2006.
According to NPR, Smith joined WHAS last year in October 2020. She graduated from the University of Kentucky with a BA in broadcast journalism and a minor in political science. She also served as vice president of the school’s National Association of Black Journalists (NAJB) chapter, while she was a reporter and videographer for school publications at the University of Kentucky. She also held multiple journalism internships in Arkansas and Washington, DC.
What a moment! #NABJCongrats to our very own @ellesmithtv of @WHAS11 who is the new @MissUSA !!!!! 🎊 🎊 🎊 https://t.co/AC7qDFKZzN
— #NABJ Headquarters (@NABJ) November 30, 2021
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