COEUR d'ALENE - Rhegan Humphrey grabbed a broom and began sweeping wet leaves off the street in front of Family Promise of North Idaho.

She smiled, a blonde braid framing her face.

"It's nice to be able to be helping," the 17-year-old said. "You don't necessarily know who you're helping, but you know that you're helping multiple people that will benefit from it."

Rhegan, of St. Maries, and 38 other Distinguished Young Women of Idaho representatives from across the state helped Wednesday afternoon during the social and civic participation segment of their "Be Your Best Self" program.

The young women performed several tasks in a short amount of time, cleaning the grounds, sanitizing toys, organizing donations and deep-cleaning where it was needed.

"They're very giving and think about others," said Mary Beth Jorgensen, Family Promise of North Idaho's program director. "They have a huge contribution to make at this age and their future contribution to the community and involvement in the community is going to strengthen because of this kind of effort."

For about two months, the young women collected more than 150 packages of diapers and baby wipes to give to Family Promise as part of the program. Family Promise is a nonprofit which serves homeless families with children and empowers them to acquire sustainable housing.

"Diapers are very, very hard to come by for families that are struggling, so it's an absolute godsend," Jorgensen said.

Denise Leonard of Hayden is the director of the state program. She said through the service projects, the young women gain an aptitude and desire to help others in their communities.

"The girls have gained awareness of those around them who are in need, learning what service is all about," she said. "We're planting this seed, in that when they've got the opportunity and the position or time in their life, that they'll be able to reach out and do what they can and maybe establish programs like this or something else."

Miiko Toussaint, 18, of Blackfoot, won last year's Idaho competition. She worked alongside this year's participants, mentoring and encouraging them as they bundled donated coats and raked the lawns and driveway.

"Every group is different, but this group, they just came together really fast," she said. "They're really cohesive and it's really awesome to see now from a third-person point of view, looking in. They've been really kind to me."

She said the women were quick to memorize their competition routines and have been very supportive of one another.

"Everything is about helping each other become better, so everyone can become their best self," Miiko said.

She said DYW helped with her public speaking abilities and self-confidence.

"To be in this program you have to be able to perform on stage, but something that you love to do," she said. "When you do something that you love, it's showing a piece of yourself ... honestly, they're not choosing a winner out of all these representatives, they're choosing a representative out of all the winners."

"Our theme is 'classic' this year,'" Leonard added. "To us, each one of these girls are classic because they're timeless and enduring."

The Distinguished Young Women of Idaho competition - formerly Junior Miss - began Thursday and continues today and Saturday at 7 p.m. in North Idaho College's Schuler Auditorium. The participants, who began the program as juniors and are now seniors competing to go to nationals, will be performing their fitness, talent and self-expression routines tonight. The top 10 finalists will perform their routines Saturday. Idaho's new Distinguished Young Woman and scholarship winners will be announced after the program. Tickets are $10 at the door.

North Idaho DYW participating representatives: Rayna Solberg of Coeur d'Alene High School; Christina Sedgwick of Post Falls High School; Alyssa Adams of Lakeland High School; Breylan Martin of Sandpoint High School; Mariah Rae of Bonners Ferry High School; Rhegan Humphrey of St. Maries High School; and Star Prince of Priest River Lamanna High School.

Info: www.ajm.org