JUNIOR MISS
Junior girls prepare for programBY KEELEY GAY ON FEBRUARY 21, 2014
Junior girls from all across Pitt County have been working diligently since January to prepare for the annual Distinguished Young Women of Pitt County competition. Distinguished Young Women (DYW), previously Junior Miss, is a national scholarship program that aims to build self-confidence and leadership in young women.
DYW grants scholarships to students who show outstanding performance in the following divisions: scholastics, interview, talent, fitness and self-expression. In addition to giving scholarships, DYW provides an opportunity for juniors to meet new people and form friendships with other high school girls. “[DYW] is a great experience and I love making friends with all the other girls from the other schools,” junior Khalelah Chanakira said. Those involved in the DYW program took a trip to Greensboro on Feb. 1 to watch the winner from last year compete in the regional DYW competition. “I had never been to a program before, so I didn’t know what to expect,” junior Lauryn McDowell said. “But I got to meet a lot of new girls and it got all of us super excited for our upcoming program.” This trip allowed many of the juniors who will compete this year to observe a DYW competition for the first time. The trip was a bonding experience for the girls. “My favorite part has been getting to meet all of these new people and growing really close to them,” junior Emily Hyman said. The participants in the DYW competition practice every Sunday for almost four hours. The practices allow the girls to learn their routines as well as grow closer with their fellow competitors. “When you are seeing somebody once a week for two months, you get so close with them,” senior Bronwyn Weismiller said. Weismiller competed in the DYW competition last year and won preliminaries in interview, talent, and fitness. She was the first finalist in the competition. “It’s great when you’re standing on stage and you hear your name called that you won something, but even if I hadn't won a single thing I feel like I still would have had the same experience and enjoyed it just as much,” Weismiller said. The girls who are involved in the DYW program agree that it is more like a bonding experience, rather than a competition. According to Weismiller and Wojciechowski, winning an award is not what the DYW competition is about. “We didn't think of it as a competition; it was just something fun,” senior Abby Wojciechowski said. “Meeting all of the new people and making friendships was the best part.” The DYW competition will take place at Wright Auditorium on March 8. The juniors at Rose who are competing in the competition will be selling tickets during the next few weeks. The tickets cost $18, and can be purchased in advance from any of the current DYW participants. Sophomores and freshmen who are interested in participating in the DYW program next year are encouraged to watch the upcoming competition this year. “Anyone considering [DYW] for next year should definitely do it, Hyman said. “Even if you don't have a talent, you can always find something creative.” The junior girls who are a part of the DYW program are excited to take the stage together and compete in March. The outcome of the competition is yet to be determined, but the DYW program strives to make the competitors feel satisfied regardless of who wins. “Don't make the point of the whole program be on winning,” Wojciechowski said. “Try to find the good things that are going to come from [the DYW program], even if you don't win.” HTML Comment Box is loading comments...
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