A second-semester junior at Georgia State University, Walker is a pageant veteran who competed in last year's Cobb pageant, but didn't place. She said she thought it might be deja vu as she anxiously waited on stage for the winner's name to be called.
"Once they started announcing the top winners and they didn't announce my name I was like, 'well, that's another year I'm not going to place,'" Walker said after the pageant.
Walker has been competing in pageants for 1 years. She has been Miss Georgia State University and competed as Miss Cherokee County in last year's Miss Georgia pageant.
"I'm just astonished really," she said of winning. "I've lived here my whole life and every since I started doing pageants this has been the title that I wanted to win. Now I am Miss Cobb, and it's amazing still."
A packed audience watched the pageant last night inside the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre at the Cobb Civic Center in Marietta.
Miss Cobb 2010 wins a $12,000 cash scholarship and a chance to compete for the Miss Georgia crown next June in Columbus.
Walker tapped danced during the talent portion of the pageant. She has danced since age 3. She was crowed wearing a mermaid inspired, turquoise-colored evening gown. In the swimsuit competition, she appeared in a bluish-turquoise colored, two-piece suit designed by Victoria Secret.
Autism is Walker's platform issue. Her 6-year-old niece, Ansley Price, was diagnosed with autism, she said.
"I got really involved with her therapy when she was diagnosed and just really fell in love with her and the whole cause," Walker said. "She is now talking and everything."
Her parents, Ron and Karen Walker, said they couldn't be prouder of their youngest of five daughters.
"I don't usually get excited at these things, but tonight I did," her father admitted.
Last year's winner, Emily Cook of Marietta - who recently became the new Miss Georgia - crowned Walker.
Cook became the fifth Miss Cobb to bring home the Miss Georgia crown in the Cobb pageant's 52-year history.
She will compete for the Miss America crown on Jan. 30 in Las Vegas, and will attempt to become only the second Miss Georgia to be crowned Miss America. The state's only Miss America was Neva Jane Langley of Macon, who held the title in 1953.
Cook said Walker is in good hands having the Miss Cobb Scholarship Pageant board guiding her as she begins preparing for the state title.
"They will make her the best Casy Walker that she can possibly be," Cook said. "She couldn't have a better board to prepare her for Miss Georgia."
This pageant awarded more than $18,000 in scholarships to its 18 contestants. It consistently ranks in the top 10 in the country among local pageants in amount of scholarships awarded, pageant officials said.
Jamie Kelton, 22, of Marietta won first runner-up in the pageant. She is a senior at the University of Alabama and wins a $2,000 scholarship.
Caitlin Andrews, 22, of Atlanta was chosen second runner-up. She is a senior at Georgia State and wins a $1,500 scholarship.
Michaela Lackey, 19, of Marietta was awarded third runner-up. She is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and wins a $1,000 scholarship.
Briana Jewett, 20, of Marietta received fourth runner-up. She is a University of Georgia junior and wins a $500 scholarship.
Walker said gets the most nervous just before the interview and talent portions of the competition. However, she said her goal going into the pageant was to simply place.
"I definitely hoped I would place," she said. "I've learned never to get my hopes too invested because it's harder to lose."
Miss Cobb pageant spokesman Chuck Fallis said he thought Walker's outgoing personality is what won over the judges.
"All the girls are beautiful and talented, but Casy has a unique personality," he said. "She's bubbly and upbeat all the time, and the main thing is that she's very warm towards everybody."
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