At 18-year-old Jasmine D. Rascoe has high hopes in receiving the next title of Miss North Carolina USA 2003/2004. This second-semester sophomore is majoring in music business and is a mass communications minor. The pageant will be held at The High Point Theater and Exhibition Center in High Point, Oct. 24 and 25. “This will be my first pageant ever,” said Rascoe. “When I was in high school, I never did anything like this. One reason for my participating in the pageant is because I do like the challenge.” Rascoe is from Sanford, North Carolina, and is the daughter of Mr. Charlie and Mrs. Deborah Rascoe. The Rascoes have another daughter, twelve-year old, who is categorized as much more of a ‘social butterfly’ by her sister Jasmine. Rascoe’s family is sponsoring her throughout this prestigious pageant.”My family is supporting me a lot through this. I am also receiving tremendous support from my friends and associates within the Music Department here at WSSU,” she said.To qualify for Miss North Carolina USA, contestants have to be between the ages of 18-years-old and 27-years-old by Feb. 1, 2004. The contestants will be judged in swimsuit, evening gown, and a personal interview. The judges will be celebrities and business people who impact the career choices of the contestants. Rascoe said that this opportunity came one day via postage mail. She read the letters’ requirements, explaining the pageant, then she sent all of the required information in. She was eager to let them know her level of interest. She was then interviewed, and lastly selected as a finalist to compete in Miss North Carolina USA 2003/2004 Pageant. “I am confident about the judging process. I already have my attire for the pageant and I am going to be comfortable with speaking, so the interview will not be hard for me,” Rascoe said.When asked what personality traits Miss North Carolina should possess Rascoe said, “First she should be a Christian. Then she should be sophisticated, intelligent, polite, and very confident in herself.”Rascoe is prepared to move on with or with out the title of Miss North Carolina USA. Rascoe says she will definitely keep God first and her grades up. If Rascoe gets the title along with the $250,000 cash prize, she will buy her expecting friend a vehicle so that she can work with trusted transportation while she is caring for her new child.Then she will buy her mother a Mercedes, and last but not least purchase a small vehicle for herself. Her future plans with her college degree is as follows: work for Walt Disney, producing cartoon music and start a professional marching band that will raise the necessary financial aid to all bands (including high school level) in need.Rascoe said that, “I do represent.” And she most definitely will especially because these competitions are predominantly represented and organized by the majority of Caucasians. Although she is hoping she is not the only African-American contestant, she will proudly ‘do it the way it is supposed to be done’. “I will demonstrate the total package: a beautiful, smart, and well-mannered African-American female. I will never fall in to anyone’s stereotypical views,” Rascoe said.