Miss Florida USA Faces

LECANTO - Kelly Roof is a Lecanto High School senior. Her mother, Denise Roof, is a Lecanto High teacher. "My mother has always done the Lecanto High pageant," said Kelly. "I was always her little busybody backstage."

Now Kelly is onstage. The 17-year-old cheerleader decided to give pageants a try and, after being at it for only two years, she already has two crowns.

Kelly was the 2005 Miss Teen Citrus County. She danced to Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend and left with the crown. She was encouraged to try another contest and, just as she was losing her Miss Teen Citrus County title after a year of duties, she replaced it with another.

Just for fun, she said, she entered the 2007 Miss Gainesville Teen USA competition and won the crown. That contest is part of the Miss USA circuit, as opposed to the Miss America circuit.

Winning it opened the door for Kelly to enter the 2007 Miss Florida Teen USA competition. "It was really an awesome experience," Kelly said. "It was kind of eye-opening. It was really neat." Besides the fun factor, Kelly said she thought entering pageants was a good idea for the scholarship awards. She hopes to attend Santa Fe Community College and the University of Central Florida to study communication and broadcasting.

Moving from the Miss Gainesville Pageant in April to the Miss Florida Teen USA Pageant in October, Kelly had to prepare during a particularly difficult time. She lost her father in June, but said she realized that "although I can't control the circumstances in my life, I can control my actions and how I deal with them."

She didn't place in the most recent contest, but is not discouraged. "My pageant experience so far has been a pretty magical experience and one I have definitely learned from," she said. "I plan on doing one again."

ASHLAND, Kentucky (AP) -- About 1,000 gallons of water poured into a northeastern Kentucky arts center Saturday when a scholarship pageant contestant attempted to steam out the wrinkles in her dress as it hung from a sprinkler head on the ceiling.

Firefighters said heat from a steamer triggered the sprinkler system on the second floor of the Paramount Arts Center. About two and a half inches of standing water flooded the center, causing an estimated $30,000 in damage.

"There was all this water flowing down from the ceiling and all these pageant contestants standing around, some in curlers, some holding their dresses," said Cindy Collins, director of operations at the Paramount. "It was pretty crazy."

REXBURG -- After winning the Miss Idaho USA competition Saturday, 21-year-old Amanda Rammell has vowed never to be photographed with Governor Jim Risch.

Rammell's father, Rex, owns the Chief Joseph private elk hunting reserve near Rexburg. In September, Risch ordered emergency hunts for up to 160 farm-raised elk that escaped in August from the shooter-bull operation.

Risch says the hunt protected wild herds around Yellowstone National Park from disease and gene pollution. But the new Miss Idaho USA says the real issue was her father's property rights. She says, "I still respect the position of governor. But Jim Risch, being the man he is, I don't respect that at all."

This just in! Miss Universe Zuleyka Rivera nurses a desire of making it to the top in Hollywood. "I would love to be a crossover actress and work in both Latino and American cinema," says the 18-year-old, who was crowned Miss Universe in July and has appeared in several commercials and television programs.

The Puerto Rican, on her first visit to Chennai, said she will concentrate on spreading awareness about HIV/AIDS during her tenure as Miss Universe. "With advancements in modern technology, a person who is HIV-positive can live for 25 years. We have to build the confidence of HIV patients," she said.

"Life is a gift. We have to value it. 'Take care of your life' is the message I want to give to the people through the media," she told reporters. Rivera said it was her determination, courage and self-confidence which enabled her to win the coveted title.

- Kudos to Miss Melbourne Teen USA Brandi Wines as she produced "Dancing For Babies" a benefit for The March Of Dimes. Miss Wines hosted, promoted, organized, and performed in the production. It was quite the success as over $3,000.00 was raised during the evening. Miss Wines says that year number two is already being planned. Way to help those who need it Brandi!

- Kudos to Miss Florida USA alumni Megan Ortagous (T15/FUSA ’06) as she rises the ranks of leadership in Tallahassee and then one day Washington. It’s an election week so we thought this was timely. Look out here comes Senator Ortegous, way to go Megan.

» PICTURES & STORIES WANTED!

If you enjoy reading the stories of our Miss Florida USA Family and want us to know what great things are happening either during or after you reign please email us at telair@aol.com. We love touting our sorority of outstanding Florida women. Please send us a paragraph (or two) on your appearances, awards or community service and include pictures. We want you to have all of the support of this great lifestyle we call Miss Florida USA!

» Alumni News Wanted!

If you know of any Miss Florida USA alumni in the news please drop us an email to feature them in future articles. Email all info to info@missfloridausa.com! Until next week here to good pageantry!

PICTURE OF THE WEEK!

This weeks POTW recipe is very simple. Start with a beautiful subject (Annilie Hastey, Miss Florida Teen USA 2007)

then add a really hot car (a pink jaguar to be auctioned off for charity) then add a touch of Vanna White and voila!

You have the Picture of The Week!