2010 SESSION INTRODUCED REPRINT 10104856D INTRODUCED 1 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 333 2 Offered February 23, 2010 3 Commending Caressa Cameron. 4 ±±±±±±±±±± Patrons±±Orrock, Abbitt, Abbott, Albo, Alexander, Anderson, Armstrong, Athey, BaCote, Barlow, Bell, Richard P., Bell, Robert B., Brink, Bulova, Byron, Carr, Carrico, Cleaveland, Cline, Cole, Comstock, Cosgrove, Cox, J.A., Cox, M.K., Crockett-Stark, Dance, Ebbin, Edmunds, Englin, Garrett, Gear, Gilbert, Greason, Griffith, Herring, Hope, Howell, A.T., Howell, W.J., Hugo, Iaquinto, Ingram, James, Janis, Joannou, Johnson, Jones, Keam, Kilgore, Knight, Kory, Landes, LeMunyon, Lewis, Lingamfelter, Lohr, Loupassi, Marshall, D.W., Marshall, R.G., Massie, May, McClellan, McQuinn, Merricks, Miller, J.H., Miller, P.J., Morefield, Morgan, Morrissey, Nixon, Nutter, O©Bannon, Oder, Peace, Phillips, Plum, Pogge, Poindexter, Pollard, Purkey, Putney, Rust, Scott, E.T., Scott, J.M., Sherwood, Shuler, Sickles, Spruill, Stolle, Surovell, Tata, Torian, Toscano, Tyler, Villanueva, Ward, Ware, O., Ware, R.L., Watts and Wright; Senators: Barker, Colgan, Deeds, Hanger, Howell, Locke, Lucas, Marsden, Martin, McDougle, Miller, J.C., Miller, Y.B., Newman, Norment, Petersen, Puckett, Puller, Reynolds, Ruff, Saslaw, Smith, Stosch, Stuart, Ticer, Watkins and Whipple 5 ±±±±±±±±±± 6 WHEREAS, Caressa Cameron, the reigning Miss Virginia from the Spotsylvania area, was crowned 7 Miss America before an enthusiastic crowd in Las Vegas, Nevada, on January 30, 2010; and 8 WHEREAS, a graduate of Massaponax High School, Caressa Cameron is a senior at Virginia 9 Commonwealth University majoring in broadcast communications; and 10 WHEREAS, at Virginia Commonwealth University, Caressa Cameron was named to the Dean©s List 11 and was recognized for her scholastic abilities with academic honors such as Who©s Who Among HJ333 12 America©s College Students; and 13 WHEREAS, a talented vocalist, Caressa Cameron performed a rendition of "Listen" from the movie 14 Dreamgirls to win the preliminary talent competition before becoming the third Virginian, and the first 15 ever from the Fredericksburg area, to win the Miss America crown; and 16 WHEREAS, a determined and poised young woman, Caressa Cameron has competed in numerous 17 pageants since her early teens and was first runner-up and second runner-up twice in the Miss Virginia 18 pageant before capturing the title last year while representing Arlington County; and 19 WHEREAS, an articulate and dynamic speaker, Caressa Cameron will travel throughout the nation 20 during her reign as Miss America on behalf of the Miss America Organization©s partner charity, the 21 Children©s Miracle Network; and 22 WHEREAS, Caressa Cameron will also be promoting her platform, Real Talk: AIDS in America, 23 teaching young adults the importance of protecting themselves against the disease and making smart life 24 decisions; and 25 WHEREAS, Caressa Cameron is the Coordinator of Youth Services for the Fighting the AIDS Crisis 10:53 26 with Education and Support (FACES) Project and she served on the steering team that brought the 27 Ora-Sure HIV (Oral) Antibody Test to the Commonwealth; and 3/3/10 28 WHEREAS, after losing an uncle to AIDS at the age of eight, Caressa Cameron once organized an 29 effort to persuade public school officials to establish AIDS-targeted sex education in middle schools and 30 has spoken to over 10,000 students in more than 40 middle and high schools across Virginia; and 31 WHEREAS, Caressa Cameron has received many awards and honors for her volunteer efforts, 32 including the President©s Volunteer Service Award and a Congressional Honor for her community 33 service endeavors in Virginia; and 34 WHEREAS, despite the demands of her undergraduate work, her community service endeavors, and 35 pageant participation, Caressa Cameron, an accomplished vocalist, was honored to perform during the 36 2009 Presidential Inauguration festivities and at the historic Apollo Theatre in New York City; and 37 WHEREAS, Caressa Cameron has earned $87,000 in scholarship money through her outstanding 38 success in the Miss America, Miss Virginia, and other pageants; she plans to pursue a master©s degree in 39 mass communications and aspires to become a lead anchor in television news; now, therefore, be it 40 RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly 41 commend and congratulate Caressa Cameron on her outstanding accomplishments and wish her well 42 during her reign as Miss America 2010; and, be it 43 RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution 44 for presentation to Caressa Cameron as an expression of the General Assembly©s congratulations and 45 admiration for her commitment to the young adults of the Commonwealth..