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55th Distinguished Young Women National Finals
 A message from the Board President For the past 6 ½ years, the Board of Directors has been happy to have Becky Jo Peterson as the Executive Director of our program. As most of you know, Becky Jo left her family and job in Napa, California to come to Mobile in December of 2005, right after the Board voted to continue the America's Junior Miss program. Becky Jo worked with the Board to rebuild the program and she was instrumental in our rebranding process, which resulted in the new identify and refined mission of Distinguished Young Women. Becky Jo will be leaving Distinguished Young Women after national finals this year to return to her family in California. We will miss her, but the Board has a succession plan in place including a nation-wide search for a replacement and an excellent person to serve as Interim Executive Director should that become necessary. As Board President, I can assure you that we will make sure there is continuous leadership for the organization and we will work with Becky Jo to create a smooth transition to the new Executive Director. If you are interested in applying for this position, which requires that you live in Mobile, please send your resume and cover letter to the Search Committee at search@distinguishedyw.org. We have posted a copy of the position description at www.DistinguishedYW.org under "news." Please join us as we celebrate the 55th National Finals of Distinguished Young Women and the farewell party to Becky Jo on Saturday, June 30, immediately following national finals, at the Bienville Club in Mobile. Don't forget to follow along on our website, on Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook to keep up with your favorite Distinguished Young Women. Sincerely,David Turner, Board President
Community Night
Distinguished Young Women will host Community Night Wednesday June 27, at the Mobile Civic Center Theater. This event is open to all Gulf Coast Residents and will give the local community a "sneak peek" at the 55th National Finals for just $5. Bring the whole family! The show is always exciting, humorous, interactive, and the kids will love it. We truly appreciate the support of the Mobile Community and give thanks to Encore Rehabilitation for sponsoring Community Night. Please call the National office (251-438-3621) or email Valerie@DistinguishedYW.org for tickets.
Tickets
Please visit the ticket page on our website to purchase your entry to all of our National Finals Events: Community Night, First and Second Preliminaries, and National Finals 2012 (Wednesday- Saturday, June 27-30, 2012). You may also call the National office (251-438-3621) or email Valerie@DistinguishedYW.org for all ticket inquiries.
Public Events
Join in celebrating the Distinguished Young Women Class of 2012 by attending any of the events on our Schedule that are open to the public. This schedule is listed on our website.
Judges
 Leslie Ann Hayashi is a judge by day and a writer by night. After becoming Hawaii's Junior Miss in 1972, she graduated from Sanford University in 1976. She then received her Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center in 1979. In addition to legal publications and videos, she has  published several children's books, short stories and articles. She is married and has two sons.
Paul Houghtaling, bass-baritone and operatic stage director, has been hailed by critics for his versatility and distinctive style. Recent engagements have included stage director for Mobile Opera's Candide and stage director for Die Zauberflöte with Hubbard Hall  Opera Theatre in New York. He is currently Director of Opera at the University of Alabama.
Stephanie Weaver, D.M.A., took the helm at the Cape Cod Conservatory in January 2011. She received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in piano performance and literature from the University of Western Ontario and her Doctor of Musical Arts, also in piano performance and literature, from Michigan State.
Marcus L. Wilson is a native of Louisville, Kentucky and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree and acts as Manager of Educational Services for an after-school tutoring company. He also owns and operates a  specialized skills football and fitness training company, MLW Football Training. In addition, Marcus is a vocalist and lives in Nashville with his wife, Tina, and four children.
Kim Smith Yandow was America's Junior Miss 1981 from North Carolina. She began her professional career at 18 and, while on scholarship with the Joffrey Ballet School and has performed on Broadway, and in films and TV. In 2005, Kim founded SimpleSpaces, Inc: a company dedicated to helping people simplify their spaces and free-up their lives. She and her husband, Chris, have ten children and one grandchild.
Choreography Team
 Gia Solari (Creative Director) returns to Mobile after acting as Director/Choreographer and Creative Director in '08-'10. Currently, Gia serves as the Faculty and Curriculum Manager for a performing arts school in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is the founder and co-director of ShowCo, the All-Singing, All-Dancing Glee Club Experience.
Lindsay Roebuck (Choreographer) received her dance training from San Ramon Valley Dance Academy and moved to NYC in 2004 where she joined the Steps on Broadway Repertory Ensemble. Lindsay received her Bachelor's degree from Marymount Manhattan College in Communications and currently resides just outside of NYC.
Hosts
 Amy E. Goodman was America's Junior Miss 1991 and is a nationally recognized media maven and author of the book, Wear This, Toss That!. She's appeared on national outlets like The Today Show, Good Morning America,The Early Show, The View, The Rachael Ray Show, CNN, Access Hollywood, ET! and VH1.  She currently resides in the Washington, D.C. area, with her husband and two children.
David Weincek is a professional actor who resides in New York City. A theater veteran, David has appeared in leading roles in over 100 stage productions in New York and at major regional theaters across the country. A graduate of the prestigious NYU Tisch School of the Arts, David has twice served on the National Finals judges' panel and is excited to be co-hosting the National Finals for his fifth consecutive year.
Don't forget to follow along on our website, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook to keep up with your favorite Distinguished Young Women.
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2012 Challenge Grant: 30 Days to Raise $30,000
Distinguished Young Women has received a Challenge Grant from an anonymous donor in the amount of $30,000! To receive this grant we MUST raise $30,000 in the next 30 days. We need YOUR help to make this opportunity a reality!
The opportunity...
Your donation will support young women across the United States. Distinguished Young Women is developing future leaders and providing educational opportunities for high school girls. Every day we teach them to believe in themselves so they can reach their highest potential. We do this by promoting scholastic achievement, leadership experiences, and the importance of community involvement.
Our successes are many, from Diane Sawyer (1963), to Lauren Gessner (2008); from Amy Goodman (1991) to Katye Brock (2011). We need your help to continue our success. Donate now! This grant effectively doubles every dollar you donate.
For more information about the 2012 Challenge Grant or to DONATE, please click the Donate button below.
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6th Annual Wintzell's Golf Tournament
Join us for a round of golf benefiting Distinguished Young Women! The National Finals Class of 2012 will be on hand to greet golfers at the start of the tournament.
Friday, June 22 at the Lakewood Golf Club at
The Grand Hotel (Point Clear, AL)
7:15 am - Registration and breakfast with the Distinguished Young Women Class of 2012
8:30 am - Shotgun start
Noon - Awards Lunch at Wintzell's Oyster House (Fairhope, AL)
Individual player, team and corporate sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, email golf@wintzellsoysterhouse.com.
Click here to download the tournament brochure.
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Sponsor Spotlight
 For more than a century, Alabama Power Company employees have been committed to serving our fellow Alabamians. And for nearly two decades, the Alabama Power Foundation has contributed to this legacy of caring by providing over $126 million in grants to support nonprofit initiatives. Honoring its mission to strengthen the communities the company serves, the foundation focuses its efforts on organizations that support education, civic activities, health services, the environment and the arts.
www.alabamapower.com
 Master Boat Builders, Inc. opened in 1979 with a vision to build quality boats for quality minded customers. Thirty-two years later, that tradition of quality continues. Master Boat Builders specializes in workboats, with an emphasis on WORK.
www.masterboat.net
 Mobile Gas, A Sempra Company is a natural gas utility serving approximately 95,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Mobile and the surrounding areas of southwest Alabama. The utility is a unit of Sempra Energy's Sempra Pipelines & Storage subsidiary. Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE) is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San Diego.
www.mobile-gas.com
 Regions Financial Corporation, with $142 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 100 Index and one of the nation's largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, trust, securities brokerage, mortgage and insurance products and services. Regions serves customers in 16 states across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary. Regions Bank, operates 1,900 banking offices and approximately 2,300 ATMs.
www.regions.com
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Purchase your copy of Full Bloom: Cultivating Success TODAYThe perfect graduation or birthday gift for the special women in your life
 Have you purchased your copy of Full Bloom: Cultivating Success? The compilation of essays released last year by Distinguished Young Women is inspiring and relevant for today's women of all ages. Whether you purchase a copy for yourself or as a gift for a special woman in your life, make sure to get your copy TODAY!
The sale of Full Bloom: Cultivating Success goes to support Distinguished Young Women programs at all levels - local, state and national. Click here to place your order through the Distinguished Young Women store or visit the book's page on Amazon.com.
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Get Connected with Distinguished Young Women We invite you to take a minute to visit Distinguished Young Women on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Stay connected and join in the conversation!   In addition, please take a minute to visit our newly launched "Be Distinguished" blog. With wisdom and advice from 16 of last year's National Finals participants, this blog is geared towards providing relevant content for young women on a variety of topics. Our contributors provide timely and fresh perspectives on matters relating to what it means to "be distinguished" in today's society. 
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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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