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 | | Becky Jo Peterson Distinguished Young Women Executive Director |
A Message from the Executive Director
It's hard to believe that six years have passed since my husband, Ed, and I moved to Mobile. Without a doubt, this is the most challenging and rewarding position of my career. Our courageous and dedicated Board of Directors deserves the gratitude of every woman who has participated in this program. It is their work that ensures the longevity, stability, and effectiveness of Distinguished Young Women. Every day the Board, national staff, and volunteers persevere in our mission to positively impact the lives of young women by providing a transformative experience that promotes and rewards scholarship, leadership, and talent.
- In 2011, we increased the number of Distinguished Young Women participants and we are working to meet our goal of 8,000 by the year 2013. We need more local programs to accomplish this goal, and we appreciate those new chairpersons who joined us this year.
- We received national attention when the Tennis Channel aired our Gulf Coast Tennis Challenge with Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish, and the Bryan Brothers.
- Our new name has helped open doors at several colleges and universities and with professional women's organizations.
- We added some new corporate sponsors to our list of supporters in 2011 and continue to pursue more.
- Our team at the national office continues to grow and evolve. Erin Kennemer fills the new, half-time, Alumnae Coordinator position and she is constantly thinking about how to keep our alumnae engaged and active in Distinguished Young Women. We also have a new Field Director, Jennifer Tolbert, and a new Development Director, Ann Sirmon. Both of these women have professional talents, a team spirit, and a commitment to our mission.
Here's to a great 2012!
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Distinguished Young Woman of America participates in GoDaddy.com Bowl Game festivities
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Katye Brock, Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2011, with Mayor of Mobile Sam Jones before the GoDaddy.com Bowl Game.
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Katye Brock, Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2011, visited Mobile, Alabama this January to participate in the GoDaddy.com Bowl Game festivities. Katye's schedule was packed full of exciting events during her visit including the GoDaddy.com Bowl Mayor's Luncheon, Greer's/Press-Register Mardi Gras Parade, and GoDaddy.com Bowl Game featuring Arkansas State University versus Northern Illinois University. Katye presented the game ball during the coin toss and wowed the crowd with a powerful rendition of the "The Star-Spangled Banner" and again during half time with a moving presentation of "God Bless America."
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Watch Katye's performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the start of the GoDaddy.com Bowl Game on January 8, 2012.
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Distinguished Young Women Launches Blog
New for 2012!! Distinguished Young Women is excited to announce the launch of "Be Distinguished," a blog FOR young women BY young women.
Get ready to meet some of the country's most dynamic, motivated and all-around stellar girls. Contributors to the blog for the upcoming year will include past participants of Distinguished Young Women programs across the country. These young women are attending colleges and universities throughout the United States and will provide timely commentary on issues facing girls today. This is a place for young women to join together to learn about one another, laugh together and see what it means to "be distinguished!"
Over the next week, the blog will feature a series of "Get to Know You" posts introducing our new contributors.
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Ways to Give to Distinguished Young Women
As you consider the organizations you will financially support through the 2012 year, please remember Distinguished Young Women. Your contribution goes directly into the program to further and sustain our mission across the country, produce the national program in Mobile and provide college scholarship awards to participants. Here are a couple of ways you can financially support Distinguished Young Women.
Starbucks Employees - Matching Gifts
Choose to Give!, a program of The Starbucks Foundation, matches eligible Starbucks employee donations, up to $1,000 per fiscal year, to eligible nonprofit organizations. Distinguished Young Women is proud to announce that the America's Junior Miss Scholarship Foundation is an eligible organization. In addition, your donation can be earmarked towards a specific state or the national program. For more information on how the Choose to Give! program works; check out the Starbucks website at www.starbucks.com.
 Alabama Gives Day
On February 2, 2012, our community will come together for Alabama Gives Day, and we need YOU to join us. It's 24 hours of unprecedented Alabama nonprofit giving - and it's your chance to make a real difference.
If you are passionate about developing the full, individual potential of young women through scholarship, leadership and talent, then you love Distinguished Young Women. And by showing your support through Alabama Gives Day, you are helping to sustain the organization.
Join us in supporting Distinguished Young Women on February 2, 2012 by donating online. Click here to donate on February 2, 2012.
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Distinguished Young Women Class of 2012 grows to 26!
As of today, 26 states have selected their Distinguished Young Woman for 2012! We welcome the following outstanding young women to the Distinguished Young Women Class of 2012:
From left to right: Sierra Terrell, Maryland; Bethany Mlinar, South Carolina; Anna-Marie Arhberg, Oklahoma; Lizabeth Marquart, Missouri; Lexee Hill, Tennessee; Mallory Pitts, Mississippi; Mary-Clayton Gilbert, Georgia; Emily Redmond, Louisiana; Carolyne Henry, Pennsylvania; Hannah Joo, California; Julia Carlson, Nebraska; Kendall Earl, Washington; Boni Yraguen, Oregon; Maggie Saylor, Delaware; Jeanette Morelan, Wisconsin; Dea Biancarelli, Montana; Jennifer Pruett, West Virginia; Miso Jang, Idaho; Stephanie Brady, New Hampshire; Keyna Hoselton, North Dakota; Jenna Frowein, Hawaii; Zoe Miller, Connecticut; Paige Wilson, Kentucky; Kaitlin Paxton, Utah; Rachel Appelo, Florida; Scarlett Walker, Alabama.
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Full Bloom: Cultivating Success Now Available as an E-Book
Full Bloom: Cultivating Success is now available for purchase via the latest reading devices - Kindle and Nook! Perfect for all of the special women in your life, this book attests to the power of the Distinguished Young Women program to change lives and help young women succeed in college and in life. Full Bloom is a compilation of essays written by former Distinguished Young Women program participants who are now leaders in their various professional fields. To purchase the Kindle version of Full Bloom, click here. To purchase the Nook version of Full Bloom, click here. Full Bloom: Cultivating Success is also available in paper copy through the Distinguished Young Women Store. |
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Fourth Annual National Be Your Best Self Week set for April 23-27
Following three successful years of outreach across the United States, Distinguished Young Women is gearing up for the fourth annual National Be Your Best Self Week to be held April 23-27. During this week long effort, Distinguished Young Women participants across the country will positively impact the lives of girls and boys in their communities by bringing the simple and motivating message of the Be Your Best Self program into Boys & Girls Clubs, schools and other community organizations. Participants create unique presentations to teach the program's five points: Be healthy, Be involved, Be studious, Be ambitious, and Be responsible. Last year, more than 5,000 young people were impacted by the Be Your Best Self message.
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Get Connected
Donate Whether you are able to contribute financially, provide in-kind services or help us secure a new sponsor, we appreciate your efforts to support Distinguished Young Women. Click here for more info or contact Ann Sirmon, Development Director, at Ann@DistinguishedYW.org. Social Networks
Join us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  YouTube. Volunteer If you are interested in volunteering with Distinguished Young Women, please visit www.DisitinguishedYW.org and contact the state or local program nearest to you. For Gulf Coast residents interested in volunteering at National Headquarters, please contact Valerie Shantazio at Valerie@DistinguishedYW.org. |
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