PALM SPRINGS, Calif. -- Laura Baxter, a 17-year-old cheerleader who wants a career in politics, ranked first in a field of 12 finalists Saturday night, winning the Miss Teenage America title for 1984.
Miss Baxter, 17, of Danville, Calif., was chosen from among 10,000 hopefuls in the contest sponsored by 'Teen Magazine.
The first runner-up was Jill Scheffert, 15, of Minneapolis. The second runner-up was Kimberly Kvistad, 17, of Fontana, Wis.
Miss Baxter, a pianist and choral singer is also president of a young womens' youth group and has a 4.0 grade average. She plans to attend Brigham Young University and wants to go on to study law.
Twelve young women from across the country competed in the finals before an audience of 1,500 at the Hilton Riviera.
Finalists from an initial 10,000 entrants were selected on the basis of scholarship, community service, personal achievement, poise, personality, talent and appearance, a spokeswoman for the contest said.
The pageant was being taped for syndicated broadcast on television in late March.
Miss Baxter will be featured on the cover of the April edition of the magazine, get a $20,000 scholarship and receive a number of other prizes, including a 1984 automobile. Runners-up share a $5,000 scholarship.
