Miss Teen USA 1997 - Contestant Notes

Contestant Notes

• Only a year after giving up her Teen title, Amanda Burns (West Virginia) won the Miss West Virginia USA 1999 title and went on to compete at Miss USA 1999. It is rare for a contestant to win the Miss pageant so soon after holding the Teen title.
• Nine years after competing at Miss Teen USA, Cristin Duren won the Miss Florida USA 2006 title. She had previously been a semi-finalist at Miss Florida USA 2002, and second runner-up at Miss Alabama USA 2005. Duren placed fourth runner-up and won the Miss Photogenic award at Miss USA 2006, becoming the first woman to win the Miss Photogenic award at both Miss Teen USA and Miss USA.
• Other delegates who later competed at Miss USA were:
  • Laurie Miller (Alaska) - Miss Alaska USA 2000
  • Amanda Penix (Oklahoma) - Miss Oklahoma USA 2000
  • Larissa Meek (Missouri) - Miss Missouri USA 2001 (finalist at Miss USA 2001)
  • Alita Dawson (Connecticut) - Miss Connecticut USA 2002 (fourth runner-up at Miss USA 2002)
  • Tara Tucker (Alabama) - Miss Alabama USA 2002 (semi-finalist at Miss USA 2002)
  • Cheryl Crowe (Delaware) - Miss Delaware USA 2003
• Delegates who later competed at Miss America were
  • Brandi Burkhardt (Maryland) - Miss New York 1999
  • Che'vonne Burton (Michigan) - Miss Michigan 2000
• Andria Mullins (Texas) competed in Miss USA state pageants for nine years but did not win a title. She was a non-finalist at Miss Texas USA 1999-2000, made the top fifteen in 2001, placed second runner-up in 2002, and made top twelve in 2003 and 2004. Mullins then moved to New York, where she placed fourth runner-up at Miss New York USA, to California where she made top ten at Miss California USA 2006. In her last year of eligibility Mullins again competed in New York where she placed first runner-up to Gloria Almonte, her highest placement. Fourth runner-up at that pageant was another Miss Teen USA 1997 contestant, Ashley Witner (Pennsylvania).
• Larissa Meek (Missouri) starred on the reality television show Average Joe.
• Amy Merrill (Utah) was America's National Teenager 1998.
• Lauren Petty (New Jersey) was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma afterwards, but eventually survived and became an actress, making guest appearances on several TV shows, as well as a temporary contract appearance on General Hospital.