Congrats to the 19-year-old East L.A. babe who rules the pages of Playboy for 2011!

Claire Sinclair was overwhelmed to be named the latest Playmate of the Year, and she told Fox News, “This is beyond any dream I could have imagined. Just 23 months ago, I was a high school student in East (Los Angeles).” Playboy founder Hugh Hefner compared Claire to a legendary pinup who appeared in the magazine back in the 50s. “What I love about Sinclair is that she has this wonderful, classic, pinup look about her, there’s a whole lot of Bettie Page going on here.” The new PMOY plans to take full advantage of this opportunity. “I feel like when you’re Playmate of the Month, you have a month to strike. This just extends it for a year and it’s just a blessing in itself.” Have a great year, Claire!