In September, Tori Flick was named the Distinguished Young Woman of Christian County, and at Thursday’s Hopkinsville Kiwanis Club meeting, members met her and learned more about how the program supports young women pursuing higher education.
Organization Chair, Kayleigh Stout, shared that the nonprofit was founded in 1958 and has since become a national scholarship program for high school girls. Stout says the local Distinguished Young Women Chapter hosted its first program in 1964, and continued annually until 1995, but returned in 2009.
Yearly, Distinguished Young Women organizations across the country host programs where participants compete in five categories: talent, fitness, academics, self-expression and an interview. The winners from the county programs go on to compete at the state level, and state winners will compete in the national program.
Stout says some folks assume the competition is a beauty pageant, but it’s nothing like that.
Each girl competing receives scholarships, which come from funds donated by the community. Stout says they were able to award $12,500 worth of scholarships this year.
Flick is a senior attending University Heights Academy, and she is set to compete in the Kentucky Distinguished Young Women program. Flick says competing in the local program has boosted her confidence, and she looks forward to representing Christian County.
To conclude the meeting, the Kiwanis Club presented the nonprofit with a check for scholarships.
