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Some athletes are only known for their skills on the court.
But former Rainbow Wahine volleyball player Raeceen Woolford proved that you can be a top-quality athlete and still take home a pageant crown.
On Saturday, June 27, Woolford (Miss Ko Olina) was crowned Miss Hawai'i 2009 out of 30 contestants representing the eight different islands. In last year's pageant, she placed third as Miss Honolulu 2008 out of 19 contestants.
She's a 2003 graduate of 'Iolani High School, played three years of volleyball and basketball. She was a defensive specialist on the nationally-ranked Rainbow Wahine volleyball team from 2003 to 2007, and graduated from UH in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in health studies. She hopes to obtain a master's degree in public health and someday become a physician.
Woolford, of Hawaiian, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, Filipino and Chinese heritage, focused her platform issue on "The Priceless Joy of Serving" and danced the hula to "Mele Kakepakepa Aloha" as part of her talent routine.
In the question and answer portion of the pageant, she tackled whether or not "Octomom" should receive her own reality TV show. Woolford responded, "No ... I think children deserve a normal, fair development."
Two other Rainbow Wahine athletes advanced to the top ten: swimmer Lauren Cheape and baton twirler/cross country athlete Shannon Dresser.
Dresser, known for her baton-twirling at UH sporting events, took part in the competition as Miss Wa'ahila with her platform issue based on "Keeping Dreams Alive: Fighting Through Adversity."
The Palmdale, Calif. native and graduate of Littlerock High School, did a dance twirl to the song "I'm So Excited." She is currently a senior majoring in sociology, minoring in speech and one day hopes to obtain a master's degree in sociology or law enforcement.
A 2005 graduate of Mililani High School, Cheape also took part in last year's Miss Hawai'i pageant as Miss Ala Moana 2008. This year, as Miss Hokua, she became the second runner-up, with her platform issue "Reaching At-Risk Youth through Athletics." For the talent portion of the pageant, Cheape did a jump rope routine to the song "Jump" by the Movement.
Cheape is working towards her bachelor's degree in Film (Directing) from the UH Academy of Creative Media (ACM) and a minor in business and Japanese. She hopes to pursue a master's degree in business administration and possibly become an international film director.
Runner-up Cheape was left with the last question in the question-and-answer portion, based on whether or not the government should raise or lower taxes during the global recession. Cheape believed that they should lower the taxes, so that it may stimulate the economy.
Woolford will now participate in the Miss America pageant, which will be held on Jan. 30, 2010 at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.
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