Diaz '06 crowned Miss New York

Adriana Diaz '06 walked away from the Miss New York USA 2006 pageant on Sunday with a silver tiara, a bouquet of red roses and the unmistakable look of a first-place winner. She will move on to compete in the nationally televised Miss USA pageant in April.

"This was my first time competing for Miss New York USA ever, so I'm still in shock. It's crazy," Diaz said. "I couldn't sleep the whole night I got back, literally not a wink. I was not in or out. I was totally awake. My mind was racing."

The three-day pageant opened Friday in Albany, N.Y. The number of contestants was cut from 110 to 25 after scores came in for the evening gown, swimsuit and interview rounds. The number of competitors continued to drop during subsequent rounds until five were chosen to answer questions about their personal statements.

"They saw from my bio that I had done a lot of traveling," Diaz said. "They asked me about my experience living in Paris. I talked about living in Paris and how wonderful it was and all that good stuff."

In addition to traveling to Paris, Diaz has spent time in Ecuador and Spain.

The Wilson School major speaks Spanish, French and Mandarin, and her parents are both from the Dominican Republic.

Diaz's background has influenced her plans for her yearlong reign.

"I want to visit schools in inner cities throughout New York, and I want to show kids that insane things like this are possible," Diaz said.

"I was born in Washington Heights in Manhattan, which is an immigrant community from the Dominican Republic. I want to focus on that area. Being Miss New York is great, but I want to focus more on speaking out [about] students applying themselves so they can aim to go to good schools rather than [be] Miss New York. This is opening doors for me so I can try to open doors for others."

Angela Diaz, her mother, views the victory as a springboard for Diaz.

"Adriana is a smart kid who really has wonderful interpersonal skills. She is really good with people and I think she can use that to be a role model for younger people," Angela said. "Sometimes, when you have a title, you have entry into things you might not otherwise have access to."

This was not Diaz's first pageant victory. She won the Miss Teen New York USA pageant in 2003 on her third attempt.

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"I tried in high school for the Miss Teen New York USA pageant. I got an application randomly in the mail and had a family friend that had done it. I had a great time, [but] I didn't win that year," Diaz said.

She tried again in 2002 and was selected second runner-up before taking home the first-place tiara in 2003. It is fairly common for girls to [only] win after several tries, Diaz explained, because to win "you have to figure out how the whole thing runs."

But that experience could not fully prepare her for the Miss New York USA pageant.

"It was my first time, and I'm young. I was up against women who are 26 and 27 years old who have done this pageant many times [and] who I remember from when I was a teen competing," Diaz said. "It is a whole different ballgame. These women are serious. Teen is lighthearted and fun, whereas Miss is very competitive ... It's still shocking."

It's not so shocking to Diaz's roommate, Nicole Totino '06. "Over the past couple of weeks I've seen Adriana really dedicate herself to achieving her goal of winning Miss New York USA," Totino said in an email. "She made it a priority to work out every day and attend yoga classes in order to be in the best shape she could be in."

"She was very calm, mentally, about the pageant," Totino added. "She was really just excited about participating and putting her best foot forward."

Diaz has a short break this week, which coincides with her 21st birthday, before she begins preparing for the Miss USA pageant, which will be held next April in Baltimore, Md.

"Coaches do exist, I will tell you that," Diaz said. "I now have an entourage. I have a trainer, I have [three] coaches, someone to design my dress. Who else?"

Diaz, who is a member of the Cap and Gown Club, said she has received an enormous amount of support from friends and family.

"Everyone, everyone, is saying that they're going to come to Baltimore. The entire Cap and Gown Club is saying 'We're there,' " Diaz said.

Her fan club may have an impact on the outcome, since for the first time the public's pick will count as one judge's vote.

Despite the excitement surrounding her win, Diaz said she has not lost perspective on what is most important to her.

"It's not everything at all. In the end, it's just a pageant," she said. "I certainly want to enjoy senior year and do the work I have to do, and not forget why I'm here and that I have a life and other things that need to get taken care of."