THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 2, 1994 TAG: 9410020087
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SARAH MISKIN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
Three months into a hectic schedule of public appearances as Miss Virginia, Cullen Johnson was looking forward to a football game at Yale on Saturday.
``It will be one of the few times I get to relax. I have not had a break since winning the Miss Virginia title,'' Johnson said last week.
Two weeks ago, Johnson was on stage competing for the Miss America 1994 title.
Chosen as first runner-up, the 23-year-old Virginia Beach resident was the beauty queen who pointed to Alabama's Heather Whitestone, who is deaf, to let her know she had won the crown.
``She reads lips when she converses with you, and she has to look directly at you to understand what you are saying.
``I thought she may not understand (that she had won) so I thought I would relay the information and I pointed at her. I did not realize that she did not know. She was so thrilled.''
Johnson describes Miss Alabama, 21, as ``very genuine and very sweet.''
Having cracked the Miss Virginia title on her fourth attempt, as Miss Central Shenandoah Valley after competing as Miss Northern Virginia (1991), Miss Longwood College (1992), and Miss Norfolk (1993), Johnson says it is now time to hang up her crown.
Although she can compete at the state level as many times as she wants as long as she represents a different district, she could have only one chance at the national title.
``This is the end of my pageant career - no more rhinestones!
``I'm very pleased with my results. This way I feel like I get the notoriety but I get to stay within my state. That's important to me because I feel like I belong here.''
Feeling at home is important to a woman who, as the daughter of a military family - her father is Vice Adm. Jay Johnson, currently aboard the Mount Whitney in Haiti as commander of the 2nd fleet - has moved 23 times in 23 years.
She says this gives her the right background to push her platform of multicultural awareness. She wants to teach people the importance of learning a second language (she speaks fluent French) and perhaps getting involved in their communities.
Johnson's prize as first runner-up in the 68th annual Miss America pageant, which she describes as a scholarship program for women that started out as a bathing suit contest, was a $20,000 Waterford Crystal scholarship for innovative business management.
After completing her year's duties as Miss Virginia, next July Johnson intends to start applying to graduate schools - preferably an Ivy League school - to study for an international master's degree in business management.
In the meantime, it's back to scheduled appearances in towns and cities throughout Virginia, helping in about 34 local-level pageants before handing over her crown to the new Miss Virginia. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
ASSOCIATED PRESS/File
Miss Virginia Cullen Johnson points to Miss Alabama Heather
Whitestone to let her know that she was named Miss America 1995.
Whitestone is the first deaf pageant winner and didn't hear her name
announced. Johnson was first runner-up.
KEYWORDS: BEAUTY PAGEANTS MISS AMERICA by CNB