Alphas crown queen

Freshman Lanetz Speller was crowned the 2003 Miss Black and Gold Scholarship Pageant winner Saturday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. The event, hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha, is in its 11th year.\nSpeller said she was surprised by the announcement.\n"I think throughout, all of my friends and family support is what got me here," she said. "I will be using it to represent the Alphas better, and to be a role model to others." \nJason Lee, coordinator and host of the pageant, said the final decision was close. Sophomore Tania Taylor was named first runner-up, and junior Uzoma Florence Oluka was second runner-up and Miss Congeniality. \nThe women spent about two and a half months preparing for the event. \n"It was stressful preparing and making sure you make the deadlines, and then preparing for the actual event," freshman participant Vonshay Brown said. \nMiss Black and Gold 2002 Alexis Carter said the preparation was tough. \n"The hardest part was getting ads, on top of trying to stay on top of your game as a contestant," she said. \nThe women said they also benefited from the experience. Lee said they have learned how to work in a group and compromise.\nSophomore Leila Price said she learned a lot from her experiences.\n"I learned how to incorporate all ideas without knocking others down," she said. "It's not just one person's pageant. It's our pageant."\nParticipants were judged in five different categories: goals and achievements, creative expression, talent, formalwear and a question portion. \nThe judges also tallied points for the women's achievements before the pageant, including ad sales, volunteer service, leadership roles on campus and interviews conducted before the event.\nLee said the pageant was the final product for the judges to make their decision. \nThe women displayed their talents to the audience in many of the events. Most read original poems and danced to hip hop.\nSophomore participant Tania Taylor recited a poem called "Wasted," about a woman's decision to have an abortion. The crowd also gave eventual-winner Speller a standing ovation after her rendition of the gospel song "Tomorrow." They interrupted her twice with cheers and applause.\nCarter gave specific advice to Speller, as the newly-crowned Miss Black and Gold.\n"Wear the crown with pride and continue to be a positive light to the campus," she said. "Continue to know you're a winner."\n-- Contact staff writer Patrice Worthy at pworthy@indiana.edu.