Jennifer Berry
FameRank: 5

"Jennifer Berry-Gooden" is an American beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss America on January 21, 2006. A resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma, she was the fifth Miss America from Oklahoma to hold the title.

She won the Miss Oklahoma 2005 title in a state pageant held Tulsa, Oklahoma/Tulsa on June 11, 2005. She competed as Miss Grand Lake, and was a double preliminary winner, winning awards for both talent and swimsuit. This was Berry's fifth attempt at the state title, as she placed third runner-up in 2004 and 2003, made the top 10 in 2002 and was unplaced in 2001.

Berry represented Oklahoma in the Miss America 2006 pageant broadcast from the Theatre for the Performing Arts on the Las Vegas Strip on January 21, 2006, the first time the pageant was held outside Atlantic City, New Jersey. During the preliminary competitions Berry won a preliminary talent award for her ballet en pointe performance. At the end of the final night, which involved interview, swimsuit, evening gown and talent competitions Berry won the Miss America title, the first titleholder crowned outside Atlantic City.

More Jennifer Berry on Wikipedia.

The death of my friend has made a lasting mark on my life. It was the first funeral I ever attended and that experience sparked a need to do something to help save other lives. I hope to be able to use my title as Miss America to make a lasting mark for the better.

It's very surreal. When we were little we would watch the pageant as a family, and my sister and I would go into the utility room and play Miss America in our heels.

A seat belt is your best defense against a drunk driver.

I have a great appreciation for what the military does.

I realized she did not have to die. She died from a decision, not a disease.

I love children, being a future elementary school teacher.

They open their hearts to us. It's been an incredible experience. I think it was a great step forward for the Miss America organization, and we began a new tradition here last night.