By Larry Caballero
The local chapter of Distinguished Young Women (DYW) Cerritos-Artesia is bracing for another successful year in supporting local high school juniors to win scholarships in several categories including scholastics, interview skills, fitness, talent and self-expression.
A mandatory parent meeting is planned for tomorrow, January 21 at 1:00 pm at the ABC Adult School site Auditorium at 20122 Cabrillo Lane, Cerritos, CA.
A parent or legal guardian MUST attend this meeting to hear more about the program and what their daughters will be preparing for in the next few months. They will meet past participants and the organizing committee, and they also will be informed of registration and forms deadlines, practice schedules, etc.
The participants will be updating a lot of information on their website about themselves, and past DYW participants will be available for any questions. Please do not miss this important meeting!
Local winners will compete Apr. 30 at the Whitney High School Auditorium, and the winners will later in the year compete in the state program. The winner there moves on to the national competition.
Thanks to generous community sponsors, local DYW winners last year shared more than $8500 in eight separate scholarships. The two overall winners were Whitney High juniors Hannah Casady and Nicki Kim.
DYW Chair Sophia Tse said, “The scholarship program is designed to empower high school women by providing scholarships while developing life skills and encouraging positive values. It is open to high school juniors residing in Cerritos and Artesia.”
Distinguished Young Women is a national scholarship program that inspires high school girls to develop their full, individual potential through a fun, transformative experience that culminates in a celebratory showcase of their accomplishments.
The program also strives to give every young woman the opportunity to further her education and prepare for a successful future. More than $1.1 billion in scholarships are available every year to participants throughout the country.
Participants must be an American citizen and meet certain criteria. For more information, call DYW Chair Sophia Tse at 562-607-1871, or go to the local DYW website: Cerritos-Artseia@DistinguishedYW.org.