A model Miss America: as an outspoken abstinence advocate, the reigning Miss America, 22-year-old Erika Harold, hopes to be a positive role model for today's young people. (Cultural Currents).

Parents and others concerned about the dearth of constructive role models for America's youth received a boost on September 21st. On that date, Miss Illinois, 22-year-old Erika Harold of Urbana, was crowned Miss America 2003 at the 82nd annual pageant in Atlantic City.

For many years, Miss Harold has carried a message urging pre-marital chastity to Illinois youngsters. She has made this plea under the auspices of Glenview-based Project Reality, a pioneer in the field of abstinence education. She has spoken to more than 14,000 students in classrooms, at rallies, and on one occasion at a correctional facility. She organized an abstinence-oriented essay and poster contest for middle-schoolers, and has met with state legislators and other public officials to share her views on abstinence and other issues affecting children and teens. She is also pro-life.

Value-based Background

Miss Harold, the oldest daughter of Robert Harold Jr. and Donna Tanner-Harold, is part black and part American Indian. She was home schooled through the fourth grade and is a 2001 Phi Beta Kappa graduate (political science and pre-law) of the University of Illinois-Champaign/Urbana. She was accepted by five top law schools for this year's fall semester, eventually opting for Harvard Law School. But she will now wait until next year to enroll, after completing her reign as Miss America. A three-time National Dean's List honoree, she earned a place on USA Today's 2000 All-USA College Academic Second Team, which honors the nation's top undergraduate scholar-leaders.

After winning the Miss Land of Lincoln contest earlier this year, Miss Harold reportedly considered foregoing the next step on the road to Miss America, believing that judges were unlikely to choose an outspoken conservative and abstinence advocate as Miss Illinois. She nevertheless entered and won the contest, with "Teenage Sexual Abstinence -- Respect Yourself, Protect Yourself" as her platform issue. An accomplished mezzo soprano soloist, she placed first in the preliminary talent competition with the aria "La'Mour" from Bizet's "Carmen." She has studied voice for six years and has performed arias and art songs in six languages. She also received the Jim Price Memorial Community Service Award and the Miss America Community Service Award. Her sister Alexandra, 20, placed third runner-up in the event, and received the Miss America Scholar Award.

While required to adopt the state pageant organization's official platform issue of prevention of teen violence for the Miss America competition, Erika continued to advocate her abstinence-until-marriage message as part of it. She also encouraged other Miss America ...