Elle Smith

Ellen Elizabeth "Elle" Smith (born June 19, 1998) is an American model, journalist and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USA 2021. As Miss USA, she represented the United States at Miss Universe 2021, where she was placed in the top 10. Smith had previously been crowned Miss Kentucky USA 2021, and is the second woman from Kentucky to win Miss USA.

Elle Smith
Born
Ellen Elizabeth Smith

(1998-06-19) June 19, 1998
Springfield, Ohio, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Kentucky (BA)
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Beauty pageant titleholder
Title
Years active2021–present
Hair colorBlonde[1]
Eye colorHazel[1]
Major
competition(s)

Early life and education

Ellen Elizabeth Smith was born June 19, 1998[2][3] in Springfield, Ohio, to parents Samuel Clayborne and Lydia Smith; she is biracial, being born to a black father and a white mother. Her black ancestors were enslaved on a plantation in Kentucky, before migrating to Ohio in the aftermath of the American Civil War.[4][5]

Smith graduated from Shawnee High School in 2016, where she was an honors student involved in choir, orchestra, volleyball, and drama.[5] Afterwards, she moved to Lexington, Kentucky, to enroll in the University of Kentucky, graduating with a degree in broadcast journalism and a minor in political science in 2020.[6][5][7] While a student, Smith served as vice president of the university's chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists.[8] After completing her degree, Smith became an on-air reporter with WHAS-TV in Louisville, Kentucky, covering Southern Indiana within the Louisville metropolitan area.[5][9][10]

Pageantry

Smith first became interested in competing in pageantry after one of her high school classmates, Brittany Reid, was crowned Miss Ohio Teen USA 2013.[5] However, she ultimately did not sign up for a pageant until eight years later, with Miss Kentucky USA 2021 being her first ever pageant.[11] She represented Germantown in the competition, and went on to win the title.[9]

Miss USA 2021
Main article: Miss USA 2021

As Miss Kentucky USA, Smith represented Kentucky at Miss USA 2021.[12] Miss USA 2021 was ultimately held on November 29, 2021, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[13][14][15] In the competition, Smith advanced to the top 16, and later the top eight, before being announced as the competition's winner. Following her win, Smith became the second entrant from Kentucky to ever be crowned Miss USA, after Tara Conner was crowned Miss USA 2006.[16][17][18]

In the final question portion of Miss USA, Smith picked judge Ty Hunter, who asked "Sustainability is becoming more and more important in professional landscapes. How can we encourage business to be more environmentally conscious?," to which she answered:

I think we've got to look at it from a macro level and also a micro level. So at the macro level, companies need to switch to green energy, I think that's something we can all agree on. On the micro level, we all know how to reduce, reuse, and recycle, and those are things that we can implement in our daily lives.[19]

As Miss USA, Smith represented the United States at Miss Universe 2021, where she placed in the top 10.[20][21] Smith moved to Los Angeles to participate in events for the year of her reign.[22]

References
  1. "elle s". NV Models & Talent. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  2. "SEASON 23 PREMIERE!!!!". Elle Smith. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021.
  3. "The face you make when the paperwork has been signed —and it's official!! Hello Kentucky! I am officially signing on as your Miss Kentucky USA 2021". Miss Kentucky USA. May 26, 2021. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021.
  4. Brody, Lanae (March 8, 2022). "Miss USA Elle Smith Reveals Her 'Full-Circle' Moment as a Biracial Crown Holder From the South". People.
  5. "Shawnee High School graduate competes in Miss USA pageant tonight". Springfield News-Sun. November 29, 2021.
  6. "Louisville reporter, Elle Smith wins Miss USA 2021". LEX18. November 29, 2021.
  7. "University of Kentucky grad Elle Smith wins Miss USA 2021". WKYT-TV. November 30, 2021.
  8. "Curls, coils and a crown: Miss Kentucky Elle Smith crowned Miss USA 2021". Black Enterprise. December 1, 2021.
  9. Daniels, CJ (May 22, 2021). "WHAS11's Elle Smith wins Miss Kentucky USA". WHAS-TV.
  10. "Kentucky's Elle Smith hands off crown to new Miss USA". ABC 36 News. October 4, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  11. "What to expect from Miss USA 2021". Kentucky Kernel. November 29, 2021. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  12. "WHAS11 reporter Elle Smith, Miss Kentucky prepares for Miss USA pageant". WHAS-TV. November 22, 2021.
  13. "Miss USA, Miss Teen USA coming to Tulsa this fall". KTUL. April 20, 2021.
  14. "Tulsa's River Spirit will host Miss USA, Miss Teen USA pageants". Fox 23. April 20, 2021.
  15. Contreras, Cydney (November 9, 2021). "Get a First Look at All the Miss USA Contestants in Their Swimsuit-Competition Outfits". E!.
  16. "Miss USA 2021: The Winner Is..." TV Line. November 29, 2021.
  17. "Miss Kentucky Elle Smith Crowned Miss USA 2021". E! Online. November 29, 2021.
  18. "Miss Kentucky Elle Smith takes the Miss USA crown". CNN. November 30, 2021.
  19. "Miss Kentucky Elle Smith has been crowned the winner of Miss USA 2021". Insider. November 30, 2021.
  20. "LIVE UPDATES: 70th Miss Universe coronation". CNN Philippines. December 13, 2021. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  21. "WHAS11 Reporter Elle Smith wins Miss USA 2021". WHAS-TV. November 29, 2021.
  22. "CI Alumna Miss Kentucky to Compete for Miss USA". UK Now. November 9, 2021.


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