On February 25, 2017, the Greater Waldorf Jaycees hosted the Distinguished Young Women of Charles County Scholarship Program for young women from Charles County. The Distinguished Young Women of Charles County Scholarship Program is an official preliminary of Distinguished Young Women of America (DYW), the oldest and largest scholarship program for high school junior females of its type. It is a TREMENDOUS opportunity to obtain scholarships and it’s free to participate! Please note that this is NOT a beauty pageant (nor is it affiliated with Miss Teen or anything of that nature), and there are NO CROWNS involved. Rather, participants compete for scholarships to the college of their choice. Contestants are judged in five categories: Interview (25%), Talent (20%), Scholastics (25%), Self Expression (15%), and Fitness (15%).
Distinguished Young Women, formerly America’s Junior Miss, was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in Mobile, Alabama. More than 700,000 young women from across the nation have participated in DYW programs at the local, state, and national levels. In addition to cash scholarships, DYW participants are eligible for college-granted scholarships from nearly 200 colleges and universities. DYW has provided more than $1.1 billion in cash and college scholarship opportunities.
Over the past nine years, three local high school juniors have benefited from these scholarships. In 2008, Hannah Stone (Calvert County) became Maryland’s Junior Miss 2009. In 2011, Sierra Terrell (Charles County) not only became the Distinguished Young Woman of Southern Maryland 2012, but also the Distinguished Young Woman of Maryland 2012. In 2014, Nicole Lusk (Charles County) became both the Distinguished Young Woman of Chesapeake 2015 and the Distinguished Young Woman of Maryland 2015. As a result of their winning these programs, all three were eligible for, were awarded, and accepted full scholarships to college!
In addition to providing scholarships, DYW challenges each participant to share its national outreach program, Be Your Best Self (BYBS), with young people across the nation. Through BYBS, DYW encourage self esteem and excellence in all young people through the program’s five principles: Be healthy, Be Involved, Be Studious, Be Ambitious, and Be Responsible.
The Distinguished Young Woman of Charles County 2018 is Shelby Samantha Green, who also won the Scholastics category of the program. Shelby, the daughter of Michael and Pamela Green, is a junior at North Point High School. She is on the Principal’s Honor Roll, is a member of the National Honor Society, is the chairperson of Best of Charles County, is a member of the National Technical Honor Society, is a SkillsUSA member, and is a member of Educators Rising. She has received the Minds in Motion Award numerous times, Varsity and Academic Letters, the Eagle of the Month Award, was chosen to attend the Summer Honors Program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and won second place in the Charles County Science Fair for Mathematics. She has been a member of the All County Honors Band, the Tri-County Honors Band, and the All-State Honors Band. Her activities include Symphonic Band where she plays first flute, Varsity Girls’ Swim Team, being a student representative for the Parent Student Teacher Organization, being a member of the Charles County Public Library Teen Advisory Board, Destination Imagination, and taking private music lessons. She volunteers as a Sunday School Teacher/”Tot Shabbat” Service Leader, is on the CCPL Teen Advisory Board, has volunteered for fundraisers and has planned library events, has served as a student speaker at Education Careers Information Night, has been a student speaker at North Point High School Freshman Orientation, and was the Facilitator of Rising Stars during the Destination Imagination Instant Challenge Day. In her spare time, Shelby enjoys a number of activities. She has been reading since she was three years old, and feels that books are her true home. She keeps a journal and writes poetry daily, and has even started writing her own novel. She enjoys playing the flute, piano, guitar, and piccolo and loves to practice. She cooks or bakes as often as she can. She has been swimming competitively for six and a half years and loves to do so. When she graduates, Shelby plans to attend the University of Chicago to pursue a career as an actuary.
The Interview category winner was Deja Brianna Oliver. Deja, the daughter of Derrick and Malaika Oliver, is a junior at North Point High School and is a member of the National Society of High School Scholars. Her activities include the Poetry Club, the Cheer Club, the Dance Team, Youth in Government, the Nursery Ministry, working at Heidi House Daycare Center, and volunteering at the National Naval Officers Association Community Clean Up. Her achievements include having a bill passed in Youth in Government and receiving a Certification of Completion from Drexel University for an Internship Program. In her spare time, Deja enjoys reading, writing, and dancing. When she graduates, Deja plans to attend the Drexel University to pursue a career as a Behavioral Health Therapist.
The winner of the Talent category of the program was Loryn Emily Cottle. Loryn, the daughter of Michael and Jennifer Cottle, is a junior at La Plata High School and is a member of the National Honor Society, and has been on the Principal’s Honor Roll for 10 terms. Her achievements include Young Womanhood Recognition, a Varsity Athletic Award for Basketball and Volleyball, the Minds In Motion Scholar Athlete Award for Basketball and Volleyball, Most Outstanding Player for Varsity Basketball, the Principal’s Award for Physical Education, the LPHS ‘PRIDE’ Award for Excellence, and a Certificate of Completion for Seminary Course. Her activities include Weekly Church Youth Group, Youth Camp Leader for summer girls camp, Varsity Basketball Team (Captain), Varsity Volleyball Team (Captain), the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy, Student Government Association, being a Youth Conference Committee member, Club Volleyball for Southern Maryland, and taking piano lessons (for the past 9 years). As a volunteer, Loryn has participated in Serenity Farms’ Day to Serve, participated in cleanup for Watershed Society, has organized ‘Safe Nights’ service projects, has organized a clothing/toy drive, and participated in Community Food Drives. In her spare time, she enjoys playing the piano, being a pianist and organist for church meetings and functions, doing Family History Work, and playing basketball and volleyball. When she graduates, Loryn plans to attend the Brigham Young University to pursue a career in Elementary Education.
The winner of the Physical Fitness category of the program was Heaven Kay Hogue. Heaven, the daughter of Gary and Ellisha Bolton, is a junior at North Point High School and has been on both the Principal’s Honor Roll and High Honor Roll. She has received the Scholar Athlete Award, the Minds in Motion Award, a Varsity Letter, the Dance Depot Award, and the Thespian Acting Award. Her activities include cheerleading, honors choir, gymnastics, karate, theater, violin, piano, and acoustic guitar lessons, and taking competitive dance lessons. She has volunteered at Sunshine Elders Home Care, Way of Life Community Church for its Homeless Outreach, Back to School Outreach, Feed the Hungry program, and Saving Souls of Music program. In her spare time, Heaven loves to sing and dance, playing piano and making music, writing poetry, taking pictures, and drawing. When she graduates, Heaven plans to attend Indiana University to pursue a career as an obstetrician.
The Spirit Award winner is Elaina Marie-Faith Dixon. Elaina, the daughter of Eddy and Yalonda Dixon, is a junior at La Plata High School and is a member of the National Technical Honor Society, the World Language Honor Society, the Tri-M Music Honor Society, is in La Plata High School’s Choir, is a youth leader for her church’s youth ministry (SAGE), and is a student leader for Fellowship of Christian Athletes at LPHS. She has been a member of the cross-country team and indoor track team for three seasons and plans to complete her third season of outdoor- track in the spring. She has received the Most Dedicated Runner Award, the Science Departmental Award, Principal’s Honors, a Certificate of Academic Excellence, the Pride Award for Determination, Excellence in the Scholars Course of Study, a Certificate of Commendable Attendance, the Award of Musical Excellence, the President’s Education Award, and received First Place for Medicine and Health in the Charles County Science Fair. She has served food at the Jude House on Thanksgiving, has ministered to the people at the SAGE Point nursing home with her youth group, sang with her choir to raise money for suicide prevention, and has donated time and money to help families in need both here and abroad. In her spare time, Elaina loves to sing. It is God’s gift to her, and it brings her much joy! She loves to run cross country because it has given her the courage to persevere. Playing the piano is one of her passions, and it is a thrill to learn new songs! She also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and making cards and paper flowers for others. When she graduates, Elaina plans to attend Towson University to become an Elementary School Music Teacher.
On July 8, 2017, the Distinguished Young Woman of Charles County (Shelby Green) will be advancing from the local program to compete in the Distinguished Young Women of Maryland Scholarship Program. The young lady selected as Distinguished Young Women of Maryland will travel to Mobile, Alabama in 2018, to participate in the DYW National Finals and compete for a share of more than $125,000 in cash scholarships and college scholarships to more than 200 colleges and universities across the nation.
The 2018 Distinguished Young Women of Maryland Scholarship Program will be held on July 9, 2016 starting at 4 p.m., and will take place at the Scott Theater at Carroll County Community College in Westminster, MD. Tickets can be charged by calling 410-876-5505, extension 102.
Any young ladies who will be a junior in high school in Charles County next year (graduating in 2019) and are interested in finding out more about the Distinguished Young Woman of Charles County Scholarship program can visit www.distinguishedyw.org and sign up!