East Texas

FORT WORTH (AP) -- Rebecca Robinson, competing as Miss Longview, will represent the Lone Star State at the Miss America pageant after winning the Miss Texas crown.

Robinson, who performed a tap dance routine during the talent portion of the competition, wins a $10,000 cash scholarship for college. The Miss America pageant is scheduled for January in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Robinson, 24, graduated with a Spanish degree from Texas A&M University. She said she plans to attend graduate school to study linguistics. Her platform is bilingual education.

Although Robinson represented Longview in the pageant, she is a native of Buffalo. Last year's Miss Texas winner, Molly Hazlett, was a Centerville native competing as Miss Longview.

The first runner-up was Faith Bates, who is Miss Hunt County.

Sydney Capello was crowned Miss Teen Texas. Capello, who is Miss Teen Duncanville, sang "Midnight Train to Georgia."

The Miss Teen Texas runner-up was Taylor Lowery, who is Miss Teen Plano.

2007 Miss Texas, Molly Hazlett, crowns the 2008 Miss Texas Rebecca Robinson, Miss Longview, Saturday at Will Rogers Memorial Center Theater in Fort Worth.
(AP Photo / Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Ralph Lauer)