"I guess the biggest change in my life is I'm working with the Cool Kids and the bracelets," she said of the Baltimore-based program that helps pediatric oncology patients. "That's pretty cool because I probably would never have been able to do that unless I had a name, so to say."

The 17-year-old Maryland native heads into Skate America coming off the best performance of her senior career, which enters its third season. Her superb free skate at the World Figure Skating Championships last March in Calgary catapulted her past fellow American Sasha Cohen and the legion of strong Japanese skaters.

Meissner will face triple axel specialist Mao Asada and Olympian Miki Ando of Japan at Skate America, an event Meissner never has attended. So there is an extra level of excitement for the youngster who suddenly is at the top of the skating podium now that Olympic champion Shizuka Arakawa, Turin silver medalist Cohen and bronze winner Irina Slutskaya are not competing.

"It's a great honor to have that kind of thought even going around, that I'm the best in U.S. figure skating," Meissner said. "It's pretty cool because you strive for that when you're training.

"I hope I'm handling it all right. I'm trying to not think about it too much. I've always done the same routine I've done this year with training.

"It's a great honor and a pretty big responsibility. But I'm glad I have the chance to see how it works."

Nothing seems to please Meissner more than working with Cool Kids through Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland. Funds raised from sales of the bracelets go directly to the families. They also get care packages that include such things as meal coupons and pajamas.

"We had a skating party in the summer. That was great," Meissner said. "All the kids got to come onto the ice. Some of the kids in the wheelchairs were able to come onto the ice. They were all happy and smiling and that was the best thing. To have fun with them is the best.

"I'm actually the ambassador for Cool Kids. I pretty much came up with the idea for the bracelets and the design. Well, I didn't actually call around or anything to see who could do it. But it was kind of my idea that started it."

She gets her season started on Friday with the short program. Skate America begins Thursday with compulsory dance, the men's short program and pairs short program.

No Olympic medalists will compete at Hartford. The closest to the podium at Turin: two-time world bronze medalist Evan Lysacek.

The Californian will get his main challenge from Japan's Nobunari Oda this week.

"I am trying to take every opportunity as it comes to me with open arms," he said, "and kind of enjoy every minute. Elite athletes' careers aren't that long.

"I'm keeping that `Carmen' long program through the Grand Prix Series. I have great memories from that program, getting a personal best at the Olympics and then doing (well) at worlds."

Lysacek has made a steady rise on American and international ice. Even though he hasn't won a U.S. championship, he enters this season as the top-ranked American, ahead of three-time national champ Johnny Weir, who is skipping Skate America.

"Last year was strong for me," Lysacek said, "and basically if I look at the last four years, every year has improved in placements. I kind of want to just continue that trend and keep going up on last year and improving."