Mother-daughter event kicks of list of DYW events
Published 10:50 pm Tuesday, June 26, 2012
The Distinguished Young Woman Scholarship Program for Dallas County kicked off this year with an opportunity for the participants to mix and mingle at a mother-daughter tea at Brownstone Manor. From left to right: Bernice and her daughter Allison Moore, Joyce and her daughter D’essence Hampton and Demisha Stough. -- Ashley Johnson
The Distinguished Young Woman Scholarship Program kicked off Sunday with a Mother-Daughter Tea at Brownstone Manor. The tea, according to choreographer Lisa Baker, was an opportunity for the young ladies to meet and greet with one another before the program is in full swing.
“It is good for the girls to have a chance to meet each other because one of the things about the program is that you get to meet girls from other schools and hopefully form friendships outside of your school group,” Baker said.
The program, formerly known as Junior Miss, allows rising high school seniors to compete for more than $3,000 in scholarships while also learning the importance of staying in school, leading a healthy lifestyle and living by moral and ethical principles.
The tea at Brownstone Manor hosted the 22 new participants to the program. This year the program has 26 applicants for the Little Sister program, which is a way for rising juniors in high school to learn about the program and get advice from the young women currently participating.
Baker will choreograph and teach routines for the opening number in the program and said the girls’ meeting and greeting this week is vital before practice begins.
“Practices are really intense times and today is just a fun day and it is important to have those,” Baker said.
The Dallas County participants will compete in fitness, public speaking, interview, scholastics and on-stage talent. The winner will advance to Alabama’s state program in Montgomery to be held Jan. 18 and 19 and will be eligible for more scholarships. The 2011-2012 Dallas County Program winner was Caitlyn Harris who will be attending Auburn University this fall.
The Selma Civitan Club sponsors the Dallas County Distinguished Young Woman Program throughout the year by raising scholarship money. The program will be held Saturday Aug. 25 at Pickard Auditorium beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door and from the participants.
For more information on how to apply for the program, visit www.DistinguishedYW.org
