We've all heard the woeful tales of young girls falling prey to the hard-partying ways of some who inhabit the world of modeling. Rarely however, do we hear of the girl who gets saved by modeling. Such was the case for Jessica White. In her hometown of Buffalo, New York, at the age of 13, the young beauty was headed for trouble until scouts discovered her and whisked her off to the City of Lights.

In Paris, White signed with the prestigious IMG agency, and in superstar fashion landed a contract with Cover Girl and fronted campaigns for Chloé and Gap. Jessica also attracted world-class photographers and graced the pages of Harper's Bazaar, Teen Vogue, and Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition. White holds the distinction of being the first black woman to appear in the issue for three consecutive years. 

The natural beauty made history again when she inked a deal with Maybelline and became the first black woman with two cosmetics contracts during her career. So it came as no surprise when Victoria's Secret tapped the curvy stunner for its much-celebrated runway show. 

Not just the fashion world has had its eye on Jessica. She's appeared in music videos for rapper Jay-Z and singer John Legend, whom she dated briefly. She's also made her way onto the big screen, appearing in "Big Momma's House 2." All this fame, however, hasn't led White to forget her roots. She founded Angel Wings, a charitable foundation to offer opportunities to underprivileged children in Buffalo so that they can pursue their dreams. Tyra Banks deemed White "the next big thing in the modeling industry"—and we think she's on to something.