ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (Co-Written by the AP and Fiona Henry) - Miss Illinois Erika Harold, who put Harvard University law school on hold so she could compete in the Miss America Pageant, won it all Saturday, September 21st.

Harold, 22, an opera singer from Urbana, Ill., wowed judges with "Habanera," an aria from the opera "Carmen," and performed ably on a newly-added contemporary culture pop quiz given to the five finalists. Erika headed into the pageant finals as a favorite, having previously won preliminaries in the personal interview and onstage question categories.

She gasped, covered her mouth and bent her knees in disbelief when her name was announced as Miss America 2003, then ducked her head to receive the crown from outgoing Miss America Katie Harman.

Miss Alabama Scarlotte Deupree was first runner-up; Miss Oklahoma Casey Preslar, a talent preliminary winner, was second runner-up; Miss Nevada Teresa Benitez, a preliminary winner in both the personal interview and onstage question categories, was third runner-up; and Miss Maryland Camille Lewis, a talent preliminary winner, rounded out the finalists.

The five remaining delegates in the final ten were Tanisha Brito of Connecticut, Melanie Correia of Massachusetts, swimsuit preliminary winner Jennifer Adcock of Mississippi, swimsuit preliminary winner Tiffany Walker of New York, and personal interview preliminary winner Lisa Dalzell of Texas.

Harold, a University of Illinois graduate who wants to practice public policy law and run for national office someday, was supposed to start at Harvard this fall. She delayed her enrollment after winning her state pageant and a shot at Miss America.

If nothing else, Harold's year with the crown will help her pay tuition. She earned a $50,000 scholarship for winning Saturday night, and thousands more in winning her state crown and Miss America preliminaries.

She plans to fight youth violence during her national speaking tour as Miss America. She said she was bullied as a child and hopes that she can help bullying victims break their silence by showing them it even happened to a Miss America.

"I want kids to be able to break that culture of silence that makes kids feel so ashamed," she said.

But she has other goals, too.

"As Miss America I hope to really define what Miss America is rather than spending my time defending the organization," she said.

The pageant has had a rocky year topped by a controversy over topless photos that threatened to place two Miss North Carolinas in the pageant. The former Miss America CEO also threatened to move the pageant from Atlantic City unless state and city leaders promised new subsidies.

Harold said she is a minority Miss America who fills out 'other' on Census forms. Her mother is part black, part American Indian, and part Russian while her father's ethnic background is Greek, German, Welsh, and English.

"I don't like to label myself, so I wouldn't choose one label," she said.

Harold correctly answered 10 of the 16 multiple choice questions on the pop quiz--second best to Deupree among the finalists.

The quiz, which was aimed at showing the contestants' brainpower, added a pinch of "Jeopardy" to the staid old beauty pageant, with host Wayne Brady quizzing the five women on contemporary culture and American history.

Harold's crowning may boost the Miss America Organization's never-ending crusade to be taken seriously as something other than a bathing beauty festival. The organization is the largest provider of scholarships to women in the world, but its swimsuit competition and emphasis on beauty have hampered those efforts.

Other scholarship winners at this year's Miss America pageant were the following. Laura Lawless of Arizona, talent preliminary winner Tangra Riggle of Indiana, Misty Clymer of North Carolina, Kelly McCorkle of South Carolina, and Amanda Beers of Washington were the other delegates making it to the top fifteen.

Also, Lauren Davidson of Arkansas won a preliminary swimsuit award, while Amy Mulkey of Georgia won an onstage question preliminary. Both Alicia Luciano of New Jersey and Shandi Finnessey of Missouri won preliminary evening gown awards.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE: I got to know Erika pretty well because we had classes together at the University of Illinois, plus we have competed together in a few pageants. I just have to say that I am absolutely thrilled with her victory. She is very classy and beautiful, both inside and out. Erika, good luck with the year ahead, and Harvard won't mind waiting for you!