Miss Teen USA 2007, the 25th Miss Teen USA pageant, was held on August 24, 2007 in Pasadena, California. At the conclusion of the final night of the competition Hilary Cruz of Colorado was crowned Miss Teen USA 2007 by outgoing titleholder Katie Blair of Montana.[1]
For several years, was the final Miss Teen USA pageant to be televised on broadcast television due to NBC failing to renew its contract. It returned to television in 2024, broadcast on The CW.
Contestants arrived in Pasadena on August 12 and participated in a number of events in the lead up to the final competition. On August 14 the official swimsuit poster shoot was held by the pool of the Pasadena Hilton, the host hotel.[4]
Competition rounds
Miss Teen USA delegates in Hollywood, March 2007Chelsea Welch (West Virginia), Macy Erwin (Tennessee), Jena Sims (Georgia) and Paige Hill (Oklahoma)
Finals
The top fifteen was announced during the final telecast and went on to compete in the swimsuit competition, which featured music by Kat DeLuna. Following this the top ten delegates were announced and they competed in evening gowns, to music by the Jonas Brothers. After this, the two special award winners were announced, followed by the announcement of the top five delegates. The interview competition involved the top five answering a question proposed by one of the judges. Each delegate had 30 seconds to answer. Afterwards the judges had one final look at the top five as they cast their votes for the winner and runners-up. Katie Blair then took her final walk and the runners-up and winner was announced.
During the Final Question round, Aimee Teegarden asked Miss South Carolina, Caitlin Upton, why she thought a fifth of Americans are unable to locate the United States on a world map. Upton's response was:
I personally believe that, U.S. Americans are unable to do so, because some… people out there in our nation that don't have maps, and I believe that our education, like such as in South Africa and the Iraq, everywhere like such as, and I believe
that they should… our education over here in the U.S., should help the U.S., er, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future. For our children.[5]
The following Tuesday, August 28, Upton appeared on NBC's Today Show, where Ann Curry gave her the opportunity to formulate a new response to the same question. Upton's new reply was: "Personally, my friends and I, we know exactly where the United States is on our map. I don't know anyone else who doesn't. If the statistics are correct, I believe there should be more emphasis on geography in our education so people will learn how to read maps better." She said that she was "in shock" during the competition and barely heard the question that had been asked.[6]
Gained notoriety following her answer to the final question, which was criticized as "strange" and "grammarless". Videos of her response were posted to YouTube and have received millions of views. Placed third with her then boyfriend Brent Horne on The Amazing Race 16.
