Carly Hornsby, a senior at Tallassee High School, was named Distinguished Young Woman of Elmore County on Saturday night. She will go on to compete in the statewide competition in Montgomery on Jan. 22-23, 2021.
Hornsby was a finalist in the scholastics, interview, talent and self-expression categories as well.
Also represented at the scholarship program, Tallassee’s Lexi Love and Emma Kate Holley were the winners of the fitness category. Love also won with her essay.
Participants were evaluated on scholastic achievements, judges’ interview, talent performance, self-expression with an on-stage question and physical fitness. Scholarship and interview skills are the basis for 50% of the competition.
Also representing Elmore County at Saturday’s program were Tallassee’s Kennedy Taunton; Elmore County High School’s Dalee Cooper, Emily Legg, Dakota Goodwin, Anna Simmons and Makenzie Stephens; Wetumpka’s Jesslin Unger, Morgan Causey, Raegan Pickens, Hanna Bunn-Murck and Kennedy Jones; and Holtville’s Makenzie Mitchell.
The program awards scholarship money to the college of the women’s choices and the opportunity for other college granted scholarships.
“This year’s program (awarded) scholarships totaling over $6,000,” program chairmen Mel Reese and Katie Cole said in a press release. “We want to thank all our local businesses, friends and family for supporting us. This program is based totally on donations.”
Elmore County’s Distinguished Young Woman 2020 Blakeley White and Alabama’s Distinguished Young Woman Dominique Verville gave out rewards at Saturday’s scholarship program.
The program is sponsored by the Phi Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an educators’ organization.
According to its website, Distinguished Young Women is one of the nation’s oldest scholarship programs for senior girls. The program inspires high school senior girls to develop their potential through a fun experience that highlights their accomplishments. Furthermore, it encourages young women to develop self-confidence and abilities to interview effectively, to speak in public, to perform on stage and to build interpersonal relationships.
“Our focus is to help these young ladies to receive scholarships to attend the college of their choice,” Reese said.
DYW has drawn over 775,000 young women to compete in the program at the local, state and national level and $112 million in cash scholarships has been awarded to deserving young women.
