By Morgan Burkett
The Greenville Advocate

Tell Paige Campbell she can’t do something, and she’ll prove you wrong.

That’s how the Georgiana School senior ended up as one of the school’s majorettes, twirling during halftime of the Panthers’ football games.

“It all started my freshman year,” said Campbell. “I had a friend from another school that told me that plus-size girls can’t be majorettes.”

Campbell didn’t dwell on the comment. Instead, she just set out to prove her friend wrong.

That’s exactly what she did.

Campbell is entering her fourth year as a majorette at the school. She’s spent two as the captain.

“I just want to show the younger girls that no matter what people tell you or call you, you are the only person who can prove them wrong and show them that you are beautiful, regardless of your size,” Campbell said.

Campbell, who also plays basketball and softball at Georgiana, hopes to one day twirl as part of the University of Alabama’s Million Dollar Band.

But first, the Georgiana senior, who is a member of the SGA, Future Business Leaders of America, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, FOCUS club, and FACTS club, has her sights set on the county’s title of Distinguished Young Woman.

She is one of eight seniors from across the county competing for the title.

DYW is a scholarship program that was founded in 1958 in Mobile. It is the largest and oldest national scholarship program for high school girls.

Contestants will compete in five categories: scholastics, interview, talent, fitness and self-expression.

The interview and talent portions of the competition will count for 25 percent of the contestant’s score, while the scholastics portion will count for 20 percent and fitness and self-expression will each count for 15 percent of the overall score.

This year’s competition will be held at 7 p.m. Aug. 9 at the Ritz Theatre in Greenville.