Photo courtesy of Moshe Zusman Photography Studio
Briana Kinsey Miss DC
Miss District of Columbia 2017 Briana Kinsey, a native of Hoover, Alabama, was named third runner-up in the Miss America 2018 Pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017.
Hoover native Briana Kinsey was third runner-up in the Miss America 2018 Pageant Sunday night in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Kinsey, a 24-year-old who competed as Miss District of Columbia, won an additional $15,000 scholarship for placing as third runner-up.
The winner was Miss North Dakota Cara Mund. Miss Alabama Jessica Procter also made the Top 7.
The rest of the top 5 were first runner-up Miss Missouri Jennifer Davis, second runner-up Miss New Jersey Kaitlyn Schoeffel and fourth runner-up Miss Texas Margana Wood.
As a member of the Top 15, Kinsey got to compete on the live, nationally broadcast show Sunday night in the swimsuit, evening wear and talent competition. For her talent, she sang BeBe Winans’ “Born for this.”
Because she got into the Top 5, Kinsey also was able to answer two questions on the live broadcast.
Her first more lighthearted question came from actress, journalist, TV host and professional wrestler Maria Menounos, who asked her if she were stopped at a red traffic light at 4 a.m. and no other vehicles were around, would she run the light? Kinsey said because her father is a former police officer, she would not, but in the District of Columbia, she takes Uber rides, so it would be the driver’s choice.
Kinsey’s second question came from country singer Thomas Rhett, who asked her if she would support legislation that outlawed full-contact football at the elementary and high school level due to the danger of concussions.
Kinsey said she would. As someone who is planning to go into the medical field, she knows the importance of keeping kids safe so they can get a quality education, she said. She would not want their future to be limited because they chose to play football at a young age, she said.
Earlier in the week, Kinsey also won a $5,000 science, technology, engineering and math scholarship.
Kinsey gradated from Hoover High School in 2011 and the University of Alabama in 2015 and now lives in Washington, D.C., where she is doing post-baccalaureate work at American University and working full-time as an eyewear consultant at MyEyeDr.
Her goal is to become a doctor who specializes in pediatric endocrinology so she can help children with endocrine disorders, including diabetes, she said.
