By Erin Middlewood

The Columbian

Payton May of Vancouver won the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen competition on Saturday in Orlando, Florida.

This is the first national title for any Washington participant within the Miss America organization.

“This has truly been one of the most amazing weeks of my entire life,” Payton, 17, said in her acceptance speech. “You’re kind of overcome with emotion. You don’t really know what to feel. You hear your name being called and then the waterworks start — a lot of tears and emotion and hugging.”

Payton’s parents are Debra and Tom May. Tom is from Aberdeen, where he played high school basketball for longtime coach Dick Dixon.

Payton advanced to the national contest after winning Miss Washington’s Outstanding Teen in May. In addition to the crown, she took home a $30,000 scholarship.

Contestants participate in private and on-stage interviews, and also perform a talent for judges. For her talent, Payton sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Her social impact platform is convincing young people to register to vote and develop a lifelong habit of civic involvement. She has a busy year ahead, promoting this platform across the country in addition to her studies as a senior at Vancouver’s Skyview High School.

She hopes to use her scholarship to study journalism and political science at the University of Southern California.

Keith J. Krueger contributed to this article for The Daily World.