Scottie-Anne's older sister is a "professional" participant in beauty contests, and after watching so many of them, Scottie-Anne's conclusion is that brains don't count much. She wants nothing to do with what she considers the shallow, egotistical world of pageants -- until her school holds one. Scottie-Anne is shocked to realize that she wants to win! After all, no one wants to be a runner-up.
The pageant isn't the only exciting event in Scottie-Anne's life. She's been chosen to participate in a Russian studies program on the weekends at Yale University. As preparations for the pageant continue, Scottie-Anne wonders why brains don't get the recognition that beauty gets. Can't you be a winner without being in the spotlight?