Miss Illinois, Erika Harold, was crowned Miss America Saturday, Sept. 21 in Atlantic City, N.J, with her sister Alexandra, a senior journalism major at Eastern, there to cheer her on.

Alexandra said she and their parents were there for the four nights of competition held before the final night. Aunts, uncles, grandparents and other family members attended the final night.

“The family was able to sit close and could see everything,” Alexandra said.

The Harold family kept their fingers crossed about the possibilty of Erika winning.

“(We were) always hopeful, but until her name was announced, we had no idea Erika would win,” Alexandra said.

When Erika was declared Miss Amercia, the Harold family was ecstatic.

“We were jumping up and down and screaming, there were shouts of joy,” Alexandra said.

Alexandra said she could tell shock was written all over Erika’s face.

Erika is a graduate of the University of Illinois who is planning to study law at Harvard.

That is, after her year-long reign as Miss America is over.

Erika will tour the nation and be a guest on television programs, in schools and at other events to speak about her platform, which is “Empowering Youth Against Violence: Respect Yourself, Protect Yourself.”

The Harold family will rarely see Erika throughout the year, Alexandra said. Because Erika will be touring the nation, she will be living in various hotels and will be constantly busy.