DUANE SHERRILLEditor

Madeline Muse was crowned 2024 DYW of Cumberland Valley, and Isabella English was crowned 2024 DYW of Tullahoma during the Distinguished Young Woman event held this past week. Emma Bell was named first alternate.

The Distinguished Young Women program is a scholarship competition for young ladies in their junior year of high school. The Cumberland Valley and Tullahoma program has become one of the nation’s most successful local programs. Over the past 17 years, the program has had one national winner and six state winners. To date, Tullahoma High School juniors have earned over $320,000 in cash scholarships as a result of this program.

This year’s program featured 11 outstanding young women who are leaders among the junior class of Tullahoma High School. Distinguished Young Women evaluates the participants on their official school transcripts, a formal interview with a panel of five judges, a fitness routine, a self-expression presentation, and a talent showcase in which each participant demonstrates her most outstanding talent.

Participating in this year’s program were: Payten Siebenberg, Sarah Wallace Whitt, Jillian Gillis, Abby Lynch, Emma Bell, Anna Le, Madeline Muse, Danika Wilson, Allison Swiger, Isabella English, and Emelie Malmstrom. Each participant chose a “little sister” to support her during the program. This year’s little sisters were: Taylor Anthony, Mary Pierce Jordan, Ella Dimon, Maggie Lynch, Emily Bell, Claire Hargrove, Katelyn Bratcher, Kaylee Tigue, Ashlyn Fisher, Charlotte Ponder, and Peyton Walton.