Sunlight in Vermont

Soft-spoken Jennifer Ripley comes from Vermont, a state that's famous for its dazzling autumns and winters. But she likes the summer. "I just get tired of being cold," she says. When she heard that Shreveport is exceptionally hot and humid in August, she was overjoyed.

During the summertime, she works as a lifeguard and teaches young children how to swim. With all the hours she spends around the pool, the swimsuit part of the Miss Teen USA competition doesn't faze her. "Wearing a bikini in front of billions of people is a little nerve-racking," she admits, "but I can handle it." She uses Hawaiian Tropic products and says she would consider being in a Hawaiian Tropic pageant -- when she's a few years older.

Vermont is mostly rural, and Ms. Ripley would like to "explore the bigger cities of the world," seeing how other people live. Paris is at the top of her list, but she's attracted by the vibrancy of all big cities.

There's one special place, halfway around the world, that she's determined to visit. For a special reason. "My dad passed away a year ago," she says, her voice growing even softer than usual. "He always talked about going to Australia. He dreamed about us moving to Australia. I want to go there, I want to see it." She thinks about her father every day, and whatever she finds in Australia, we suspect it will always be special for her.

When her travels are through and Ms. Ripley has her medical degree, she plans to go home for good and open a practice as a pediatrician. "I love kids, and Vermont is a good place to raise a family." Warm weather isn't everything.

Country courage

Her mother calls her "a regular Elly May," a nature-loving tomboy. Starla Smith is from south Alabama, where agriculture is king, and she likes country life. She adores horses and has worked at a horse farm, helping the little children who come to take pony rides.

But in her late teens, Ms. Smith was lured back into the pageant whirl. The National Peanut Festival, held near her home, is not only a celebration of one of the world's most nutritious foods. It's also a scene of stiff competition among the local beauties. Ms. Smith loves to compete, and once she was back on the pageant stage, she was determined to be a success.

As she was preparing for the Miss Alabama Teen USA Pageant, she had more on her mind than just swimsuit and interview. 

Her father had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. As he was dying, he remained her biggest fan, encouraging her never to give up. She never did. Two weeks after his death, she won the crown.

Starla Smith has come a long way. She had never even flown until she won her state title, but now she is on the brink of joining the pageant jet set. When she signs her name these days, she puts a flourish instead of a dot over the letter "i." It's a tiny mark, but it looks remarkably like a star.