Less than a month after being crowned the new Miss Oregon, Rachel Berry gave up her crown Thursday after being unable to prove she had lived in Oregon six months before competing in a pageant earlier this year.
Berry beat out 23 other young women to become Miss Oregon a few weeks ago at the Seaside Civic and Convention Center. As a result, it appeared she would be on her way to compete in the Miss America pageant in Las Vegas six months from now.
But questions over her residency have since surfaced. Pageant officials said Berry couldn't prove she lived in Oregon at least six months before competing in the Miss Willamette Valley pageant in April.
"To compete for Miss America is a dream I have worked toward since I was young, but I accept this decision to do the right thing and relinquish this title," she said. "In the spirit of what Miss America stands for, I would not want to deprive another contestant of the opportunity to represent the beautiful State of Oregon at the Miss America Pageant."
Berry, who was set to get a $10,000 scholarship as part of being crowned Miss Oregon, is a graduate of Chapman University in California. She wants to become a television news reporter.
She told FOX 12 earlier this month that she had been trying to make it to Miss America for four years.
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