Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, July 3, 1995 TAG: 9507030154
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SHANNON D. HARRINGTON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Four years ago, Andrea Ballengee of Newport News entered the Miss Virginia Pageant at the age of 17. She also was beginning her freshman year at Virginia Tech and getting accustomed to a new facet of life - being away from home.
If Ballengee had won the Miss Virginia title that year, in which she was a top-10 finalist, any homesickness she felt at college would have been doubled with the responsibility of being Miss Virginia. And she wasn't so sure she was ready for it.
"I can remember when I was 17 and Margaret Baker [executive director of the pageant] stood up and told us that whoever wins would have to be away from home for a year," Ballengee said.
Saturday night, when Miss Virginia 1994 Cullen Johnson placed that sparkling crown on Ballengee's head, she knew she was ready. At 21, graduating second in her class from Virginia Tech, Ballengee said the timing is just right.
"It's gotta be something you're ready to commit a whole year of life to," she said Sunday, 12 hours after her name was called and with her face still glowing.
Time certainly will be precious for Ballengee. She will make about 300 appearances and travel an estimated 20,000 miles - all in her one-year reign.
While appearing around the state and nation, she will be able to continue working on her platform, an issue she has been involved with since college. She has developed a program that offers scholarships to poverty-stricken children and aims to help children gain self-esteem through other means, such as a dance class she taught.
"Education is an integral part for children at risk," Ballengee said. "Every child is at risk if they can't visualize the future."
One facet of her program that Ballengee wants to develop further as Miss Virginia is getting businesses involved with the children of their communities.
"I want to encourage businesses that it's good business to get involved with children," Ballengee said during Saturday's competition. She would like to see companies, instead of just throwing checks at the problem, take a more hands-on approach - even to the extent of "helping children with homework after school," she said.
Saturday night, Ballengee proposed a program called the "Partnership of the Four P's," combining the efforts of parents, police, professors and politicians to help "save our children." Many of her ideas will be implemented by this program, she said.
After receiving a law degree, Ballengee wants to go into politics. She hopes to be elected to Congress. As Miss Virginia, she will have plenty of practice for her political career.
"Miss Virginia is a politician in her own right," Ballengee said.
Sunday, she was handed the keys to a brand-new, forest green Chevrolet Camaro, her own cellular phone and keys to an apartment in Roanoke. But the biggest highlight of her reign as Miss Virginia will come Sept. 16 in Atlantic City as she competes against 51 other contestants in the 75th annual Miss America Pageant.
Ballengee said she has a lot of preparing to do between now and September. But for now, she is "still on Cloud Nine."
After three nights of competition, non-stop attention and a week of events leading to the pageant, Ballengee said she's ready for a little rest and relaxation.
When asked what she would do next, Ballengee jokingly told a TV reporter she was "going to Disney World."
by CNB