SPECIAL TO THE ADVOCATE

MONTGOMERY- Distinguished Young Women (formerly Junior Miss) contestants arrived on Jan. 13 to begin practicing, volunteering in the community and spending time together at special events.

Each of the 51 contestants represents her county in Alabama and will compete for over $40,000 in cash tuition scholarships and 42.5 million in college-granted scholarships. The final competitions will take place on Jan. 20 and 21 at Frazer United Methodist Church, Wesley Hall in Montgomery.

Distinguished Young Women of America, is based in Mobile, Ala. and has provided college scholarships and life-enhancing opportunities for young women since 1958. The national nonprofit program continues to be the oldest and largest scholarship program for high school girls. The program’s scoring criteria remains the same, as do the values on which is was founded.

Distinguished Young Women participants share the Be Your Best Self program with young people of all ages, encouraging them to stay in school, lead a healthy lifestyle and live by moral and ethical principals. National sponsors for Distinguished Young Women are the City of Mobile, Mobile County, Encore Rehabilitation, Spanx, Mobile Gas and Alabama Power Foundation and Regions Bank.

For more information about the Distinguished Young Women of Alabama, please contact Carna Triftshauser, Alabama’s co-Chairman at 334-538-4451 or Alabama@distinguishedYW.org or visit online at www.distinguishedYW.org/AL.