West Pennyroyal News

ACS Senior in State DYW Program This Week

Allen County-Scottsville senior Sarah Beth Meador is in Lexington this week representing her school, county, and community in the Kentucky Distinguished Young Woman (DYW) Scholarship Program. 

Meador earned the honor following her selection as the 2023 Allen County Distinguished Young Woman following the local program last summer. 

   “I am really excited about going,” Meador said with a smile on her face. “Over the past few months, I’ve done a lot with the state sponsors to prepare and a lot with our local Board members. I am really excited and looking forward to it.”

   The pathway to this week has included informational meetings in Lexington, photo sessions, and preliminary work on routines and fitness. Meador has also been keeping up with current events, sharpening interview skills, and polishing her talent. 

   “I have met a few of the Distinguished Young Women that will be at state,” Meador added. “I am a little nervous. The week will be hectic. It’s jam-packed with a full itinerary but I am real excited.”

   Meador explains that the state program is very similar to the local and national programs. The state program has 27 participants from across the Commonwealth.  

   “In DYW there are five categories in which we are judged,” Meador noted. “There is the Scholastic category which is our grades and how we have done in school. We had to send those in December. Then, there is the interview portion. The day before the actual program, we have an interview session with the judges. They can ask any sort of questions from political questions, knowledge questions about our government, to questions about our goals and career ambitions or questions about how hobbies and personal interests. They could also be some random questions. At local, one of my questions was when the last time I truly laughed was. Thus between the scholastic and interview portions, over half of the judging is out of the way before the actual program.” 

   The public part of the program will have the contestants competing in three categories, fitness, talent, and self-expression. 

   “The fitness portion is a very intense fitness and dance routine that I’ve been working on,” Meador added. “The talent is next. When my mom won the local DYW program (then known as Junior Miss) in 1988, she did a monologue for her talent. I love public speaking so I choose to also do a monologue. My monologue is entitled I Remember, I Remember” by Thomas Hood. I love that monologue. The final event is self-expression. We are in our pretty dresses walking around the stage and then are asked to answer a question.”

   Additional parts of the state program are the opening and closing numbers as well as a Little Sister Program. 

   “Every Distinguished Young Woman picks a little sister that comes to state with them,” Meador pointed out. “They do a number with us on stage and then they walk out with us in self-expression. There is also a little sister luncheon.” 

Meador’s little sister will be Karaline Cline, a third-grader at the Allen County Primary Center.  

   Another aspect of the state competition is that Meador will be staying with a host family while in Lexington and will have very limited contact with her family and friends in Allen County. 

   “Our host family live about 30 minutes outside of Lexington on a farm,” Meador said. “They have three daughters and a son and there are four of us DYW’s staying with them. They seem to be very sweet. They love to play board games and be outside. They seem like a very sweet family. I not worried about getting along with them. It seems like it will be a nice place to come home to at the end of a very hectic day.”

   Meador’s friends and family members are encouraged to send her cards of encouragement this week. The cards can be mailed to Sarah Beth Meador, c/o Kasey Moore, 560 Calloway White Road, Winchester KY   40391.   

   The state finals program is divided into first and second preliminary rounds slated for Friday, January 13 at 7:00 p.m. (EST) with the finals on Saturday, January 14 at 7:00 EST. For ticket information, visit Distinguished Young Women of Kentucky on Facebook.

Original source can be found here