Chesapeake native claims her crown

CHESAPEAKE

She Googled herself in the morning to make sure it was true. *

Indeed it was. Elizabeth Crot was crowned Miss Virginia the night before.

It's easy to understand why the 23-year-old was so stunned. This was Crot's fifth time standing onstage at the Roanoke Civic Center, awaiting her name to be the final one called. Once she was third runner-up; the last two years she did not advance to the final five.

"I was definitely overcome with a sense of calm during the whole pageant," said Crot, crowned Saturday night, beating out 30 others before a televised audience. "Every year I competed before, I was so nervous, and I think it was because I wanted it so badly. Then I won and didn't know how to act. I had seen for four years someone else take the crown and someone else walk down the runway. It was like an out-of-body experience."

Crot will represent the state at the 2012 Miss America Pageant in January in Las Vegas. As Miss Virginia, she received $16,500 in scholarship money and picked up $1,000 for taking first in talent. In addition, she earned a $250 "Spirit of Virginia" scholarship, all money that will leave her free from the debt accrued during her four years as an English major at James Madison University.

"I graduated in December, and my first student loan payment is due next week," she said. "Now my student loans are paid off."

As a junior and senior at Hickory High, Crot competed in the school pageant, taking first runner-up. She moved on to first runner-up at Miss Portsmouth Seawall, a pageant she later won. She has also won Miss Southeast Virginia, Miss Norfolk and Miss Hampton Roads, and this year is the reigning Miss Arlington - an open pageant that does not require contestants to be residents of the city.

Parents David and Margaret Crot weren't initially enthusiastic about Crot competing in pageants.

"I don't come from a wealthy background," Elizabeth said. "My mom was worried about paying for dresses and things like that. My first four years competing, pretty much all of my clothes were off eBay. You can do a lot with nothing sometimes. My competition gown two years ago cost, like, $20."

This year, Crot said, she was spoiled by the Miss Arlington committee that paid for her wardrobe, which included a pink, ruffled swimsuit, a golden operatic dress with rosettes for talent and a champagne asymmetrical lace gown she and sister Rebekah spent hours beading prior to her trip last week to Roanoke.

"We were so afraid I was going to ruin the dress, but it ended up working out."

Crot felt confident during preliminaries, feeling she nailed the interview portion that allowed her to share her perspective on gay marriage, health care and stem cell research.

Raised conservatively, Crot said competing in pageants challenged her.

"I've changed my political views," said Crot, who marched in a gay pride parade earlier this month as Miss Arlington. "I've become more open-minded. I used to think gay marriage was wrong, but getting to know so many people through pageants taught me that love is love."

A classically trained vocalist, Crot performed "Sempre Libera," from "La Traviata." Crot's bio boasts she can sing in 12 languages, which include Latin, Swahili, Hebrew and isiZulu.

"I really want to perform on Broadway someday," she said.

"Her voice is what really got her started in pageants," her mother said. "All through high school she was all-district chorus or all-state choir."

Initially, Crot's singing was reserved for nursing homes, a volunteer effort that sparked what has since become her platform, titled "Get Involved: Change Your World." Crot is an advocate for the Alzheimer's Association, as the disease has affected two of her family members.

She recently returned from a church mission for flood relief in Nashville, Tenn., assisting a single mom with six children.

"The more you volunteer, the more you realize not to demonize people for their circumstances," she said. "No one can control a situation they're born into."

Crot will move to Roanoke Thursday, the same day she makes her first appearance as Miss Virginia in Charlottesville. She is excited to travel and possibly become the next Miss America.

"I never thought I would be up there," she said. "I remember being 6 years old at the Chesapeake Christmas parade. I watched Miss Chesapeake go by in her car, thinking, 'She's so beautiful; that could never be me.' "

Now it is.

Vicki L. Friedman, (757) 222-5218, vicki.friedman@pilotonline.com