LAS VEGAS _ Miss New York didn't win a crown in Las Vegas, but relatives said she will remain a gem in the Baldanza family.
Elisabeth Baldanza, 24, of East Meredith, was one of 52 contestants in the Miss America pageant at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino on Saturday night.
``When she is performing, speaking or dancing, she is captivating,'' said her brother Charles ``Chad'' Baldanza, who traveled from Boston. ``She's my sister, so of course, I think she should have won.''
After about two hours of modern-day pageantry, Miss Michigan, Kirsten Haglund, was crowned Miss America 2008. She and 15 other finalists performed, modeled and spoke during an 8 p.m. telecast on the Learning Channel.
Baldanza, who wasn't a finalist, had performed a contemporary ballet and competed in other categories
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earlier in the week. Last year, she won the Miss Empire Rose and Miss New York competitions, which qualified her to compete at the national level.
Pageant officials told parents that only about 3,000 women had reached the national contest in Miss America history, Baldanza's mother, Fran, said, and a boy born around the same time as Elisabeth would have had a better chance at playing in the Superbowl.
``She's a very special girl, no matter what happens tonight,'' Fran Baldanza said Saturday afternoon.
An announcer said more than 7,000 fans were in the theater Saturday night. Dozens of audience members sat in groups and cheered for contestants from their state. Supporters waved signs, hooted and applauded, with the din sometimes too loud to hear host Mark Steines or the contestants.
The audience included some girls in fancy dresses and sashes and teenagers in trendy dresses. Attire in the audience ranged from casual to gowns, suits and tuxedos. On stage, many finalists' gowns in white or bright festive colors shimmered with sequins.
The Miss America competition started in 1921 as a gimmick in Atlantic City to extend the tourist season. The pageant organization last year provided more than $45 million in scholarship assistance.
The organization has joined with TLC to reach younger markets, and the initiative aims to identify a modern-day it girl' who can be a role model. Contestants, who are between 18 and 24, were identified by a state-level organization, and they demonstrate fitness and lifestyle by modeling swimwear and evening gowns.
A contestant also performs in a talent contest and answers questions about a topic that concerns her and has become the basis for community service.
Preliminary contests determined the finalists, who weren't announced until Saturday night, after which seven judges started with clean scoring slates for contestants.
Contestants eliminated in the first round sat on risers to watch the show, and they were offered éclairs, cream puffs and other carbohydrates. Parents of finalists sat on risers on the other side of the stage. During commercial breaks, production crew members scurried to direct finalists to line up center stage or elsewhere before the live broadcast continued. Seconds before the show resumed, the announcer called for "Applause, please. Applause, please.''
The finalists were reduced from 16 to eight contestants who performed their talent. Two of the 10 finalists in costume ready to perform were eliminated without presenting their talent, a tactic that drew some disappointed sighs and boos from the audience.
The talent included jazz dance, ballet and singing. The remaining eight contestants answered an on-stage question about a current issue. Throughout the production, the contestants smiled, waved and hugged each other.
When Miss Utah, Jill Stevens, who served in the armed services in Afghanistan, was eliminated she dropped down and did pushups as a parting gesture, joined by a few other finalists. Stevens was the 16th finalist identified through a national vote sponsored by TLC's ``Miss America: Reality Check'' series. Some supporters in the audience wore uniforms.
The pageant demands expertise in several areas and offers an opportunity ``to stretch,'' said Charles Baldanza after the finale.
"This is absolutely a great thing for her to have done,'' Charles Baldanza, a master's student at Gordon-Cornwell Theological Seminary, said. Putting the experiences into a Christian perspective is more important than the pageant, a win or a loss, he said.
About 20 friends and relatives were present Saturday to watch Elisabeth, a 2002 graduate of Lighthouse Christian Academy in Oneonta and a 2006 graduate of Mercyhurst College, a four-year Catholic institution in Erie, Pa.
``We're very proud of her,'' said Terri Baldanza, who is married to Elisabeth's brother Adam. ``She's a winner in our eyes no matter what happens tonight.''
Elisabeth plans to attend graduate school and become a motivational speaker. Her issues platform was the "Personal Worth: The Value of Character and Service.''
"We're all excited and proud of her,'' said Rebecca Meston, Elisabeth's older sister, while waiting Saturday for other relatives to arrive at the two rows of seating where Miss New York supporters gathered.
"I am proud that other people get to see what an incredible young lady she is and what she has to offer the world,'' said Meston, who lives in Suffolk, Va. ``Who she is is just an awesome person."
Miss New York will hold her title until another state-level competition this year.
As Miss America 2008, Haglund, 19, will travel about 20,000 miles each month speaking to audiences about her platform of raising awareness of eating disorders and acting as the official National Goodwill Ambassador for Children's Miracle Network, a nonprofit organization that raises money for children's hospitals.
Haglund is a student at University of Cincinnati and wants to be a Broadway performer. Along with the title of Miss America 2008, she won a $50,000 scholarship to continue her education. For the talent portion of the competition, she sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."
The Miss America pageant has been a wonderful experience for Elisabeth, her mother said.
``We're feeling great,'' Fran Baldanza said Sunday.
Fran Baldanza said the family had a dinner with Elisabeth Saturday, and she had breakfast with her Sunday morning.
Elisabeth has made friends for life, she said, and some of the contestants are planning a reunion next year but they expect Miss Michigan will be too busy to attend.
"I'm good," Elisabeth said before excusing herself to give her bags to the bell boy.
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