Distinguished Young Women of MHS

Madison High’s Distinguished Young Women Program is one that some girls look forward to their entire highschool career. DYW is a way for highschool girls to earn a scholarship that is acknowledged worldwide. The pageant is usually hosted in February, but preparation for the event starts quite a ways before.

“I originally started prepping for DYW last summer in July. I started learning my song that I performed and I worked since then to perfect it,” Junior Emily Dustin said.  

Although DYW can be stressful and packed with hard work, the contestants never had a dull moment. 

“Practicing for DYW was so fun! I always looked forward to the weekend. We always knew how to have a good time, even if we were out of breath with the fitness routine,” Junior Clara Thomas said.

DYW consists of five different categories where the girls can show their skills. These categories consist of Scholastics, Interview, Talent, Fitness, and Self-Expression

“My favorite category was Self-Expression. This category was most stressful for me, since it is the most unknown. You have no idea which question they will ask you, so you have to have an answer for each,” Thomas said.

All of the contestants covet the role of becoming a “Distinguished Young Women” but the overall winner of DYW was Emily Dustin.

“It is an awesome feeling to know that you went through all the work and grew so much in 3 months and now you are a Distinguished Young Women,” Dustin said.

Dustin now has the opportunity to compete at state level with other girls all over Idaho. Competing in front of your community is one thing, but competing in front of thousands of people from your state can be very nerve wracking. 

“I am very nervous for the state because I won’t know anyone, But I am excited for the experience and especially to get even more out of my comfort zone,” Dustin said.