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SALT LAKE CITY — Miss Davis County Kara Arnold has been crowned Miss Utah to advance to the Miss America pageant in January.
She topped a field of 44 contestants and 10 finalists Saturday night in Salt Lake City.
"It was completely a surprise, I just went out there and had fun, and really enjoyed myself," Arnold said in an interview with KSL. "Having the opportunity to be on stage and present your talents in front of people is the opportunity of a lifetime. So I was just in the moment, and enjoying the moment and when my name was called I was completely baffled."
Arnold, a recent graduate of the University of Utah with a degree in biochemistry, won a $10,000 scholarship to help toward her goal of becoming a physician.
"It has been a long four years, definitely the journey of a lifetime," Arnold said. "I've loved being at the University of Utah... I've met some world-renowned chemists that have changed my life. So going through that program has really made me a better person, so I feel like I have a complete degree."
She'll travel around Utah to promote the Children's Miracle Network and her personal platform, "Discover Your Potential — Step Up with STEM."
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and Arnold's platform encourages women to explore opportunities in those fields.
First runner-up was Miss Duchesne County Brittani Reinhardt, second runner-up was Miss Pioneer Valley Ciera Pekarcik and third runner-up was Miss Orem Hannah Harkness.
Contributing: Roger Cary
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
