In February of this year, Sarah Beth Heath and Blair Back competed in the Distinguished Young Woman of Bibb/Monroe competition. Back was named Spirit Award Winner and Physical Fitness Winner while Heath earned the title of Distinguished Young Woman of Bibb County. Last week, Sarah Beth advanced to the state competition held in Marietta where she would compete for the coveted title of Distinguished Young Woman of the Year.

The DYW program is a national program, free to participants, that provides the opportunity to win college scholarships while also teaching life skills that will serve young women after high school. Each year, the program gives over $1.1 billion in college scholarships. “DYW has been an unbelievable experience. Since being named the Bibb representative in February I have been forced to step out of my comfort zone. I have grown and learned so much,” remarked Heath.

According to the DYW website, participants are evaluated in the following categories: Scholastics (25%), Interview (25%), Talent (20%), Fitness (15%), and Self-Expression (15%). Additionally, the Life Skills program includes online resources and workshops that cover public speaking, self-confidence building, interviewing, and more.

Heath explained, “DYW promotes the concept of Being Your Best self, and going through the local and state programs has been a constant reminder for me to work on that. I have made lifelong friends with girls from all over the state who have supported and cheered for each other. I am excited about the opportunities that are still ahead with DYW.”  At the conclusion of last week’s competition, Sarah Beth was awarded a $300 cash award as the Top Scholastic Category Winner, a $10,000 scholarship to the University of West Alabama, and a $78,000 scholarship to the University of Troy in Alabama.

To apply for the Distinguished Young Woman program, please visit distinguishedyw.org.