Editor’s note: Each Monday, Alabama NewsCenter is highlighting stories from the Alabama Power Foundation‘s annual report. Each story spotlights an organization or initiative the foundation supported in 2019.

Sometimes dreams come true. Especially when the Distinguished Young Women (DYW) program provides training, empowerment and enough confidence to last a lifetime.

Consider the journey of Kendra Haskins. Like so many girls, the Montgomery native had a dream. “I had wanted to go to Duke University for as long as I can remember,” she said. “I went into the admissions interview and was told I had 15 minutes. An hour and a half later I walked out with guaranteed admission. I lay that 100% at the feet of this program and its Be Your Best Self message.”

Haskins is now executive director of DYW, which was founded in Mobile in 1957 and is headquartered in the Port City. The experience begins on the local level – 42 programs around Alabama alone – and focuses (for free) on life skills. More than 3,000 girls participate annually in all 50 states.

Through DYW’s resources, the girls learn public speaking, self-expression, job interview techniques, goal-setting, education insights and healthy lifestyles. Every program culminates in an onstage showcase, advancing winning representatives to the state level for more training and competition. One girl from each state travels to the national finals in Mobile the summer following her high school graduation.

At the heart of it – a heart that lives to help – Distinguished Young Women (originally known as America’s Junior Miss) is more about connecting with futures than being frilly and silly.

“We have never been a beauty contest,” Haskins said. “In the 1950s when we were founded, there were very few scholarship options for girls. This program was progressive for its time and is still just as relevant.” The competition includes a talent component that, unlike pageants, might find a girl conducting a science experiment or a powerlifter demonstrating her abilities.

Distinguished Young Women creates valuable opportunities at no cost to participants from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

Whether it’s $500 from a local program or a major scholarship, DYW wants to put each participant in position to shape her destiny through education. “Last year we made more than a billion dollars – that’s with a ‘B’ – of scholarship money available. It comes through support from organizations such as the Alabama Power Foundation, from donations on state and local levels, and from colleges and universities themselves,” Haskins said.

Mobile-based Distinguished Young Women offers training, speaking and interviewing skills, scholarships and confidence-building activities to young women from across the nation. (Alabama Power Foundation)

“One of our biggest scholarships comes from the University of South Alabama, which offers a full ride to all our 50 state representatives each year.” More than 100 collegiate partner schools also offer generous scholarships to participants, she said. “They know the kind of young women who are part of our program.”

Eric Patterson’s involvement started when his wife, Pam, suggested they host two Distinguished Young Women during the finals in Mobile. She insisted, he resisted and now recalls, “We kept Meredith from Missouri and Kim from Pennsylvania and I fell in love with the program. When we said goodbye, these little drops started falling out of my eyes. I was hooked from the get-go.” Patterson went on to serve on the DYW board and its Scholarship Foundation; his wife was executive director. At the time, he was an Alabama Power Customer Service manager in the Mobile Division.

Beth Thomas, current national president of the DYW board, is smitten with what she sees. “I asked one of the girls what she enjoyed most during her time in Mobile and I distinctly remember her saying, ‘I now have a friend in every state.’ Many of us live our whole lives and can’t say that.”

Thomas revels in the Alabama Power Service Organization‘s involvement, too. “We sponsor at least two girls each year, making them feel welcome and writing them letters of support. We are there for their families and friends who travel to Mobile. And our Mobile APSO chapter is on hand in numbers for the annual cookout on the USS Alabama battleship. We make the food and are there to meet the girls and their supporters.”

The success stories are the stuff of legends, and being a participant on any level means success in the world of DYW. Haskins is still moved by the memory of a high school student whose parents firmly said their daughter would not be going to college. “She found our program and ultimately won the national level and got the opportunity to attend her dream school, Northwestern.” From thinking college was not a possibility, she went on to study as a Rhodes Scholar, earned a master’s at Oxford University and became an educator. “She tells us that Distinguished Young Women leveled the playing field for her.”

Distinguished Young Women, previously known as America’s Junior Miss, has been providing scholarships and many other benefits to outstanding young women across the nation since 1957. (contributed)

Distinguished Young Women, previously known as America’s Junior Miss, has been providing scholarships and many other benefits to outstanding young women across the nation since 1957. (contributed)

Distinguished Young Women, previously known as America’s Junior Miss, has been providing scholarships and many other benefits to outstanding young women across the nation since 1957. The talent portion of the competition encompasses gifts for scientific work. (contributed)

Distinguished Young Women, previously known as America’s Junior Miss, has been providing scholarships and many other benefits to outstanding young women across the nation since 1957. (contributed)

Distinguished Young Women, previously known as America’s Junior Miss, has been providing scholarships and many other benefits to outstanding young women across the nation since 1957. (contributed)

Distinguished Young Women, previously known as America’s Junior Miss, has been providing scholarships and many other benefits to outstanding young women across the nation since 1957. (contributed)

Distinguished Young Women, previously known as America’s Junior Miss, has been providing scholarships and many other benefits to outstanding young women across the nation since 1957. (contributed)

Distinguished Young Women, previously known as America’s Junior Miss, has been providing scholarships and many other benefits to outstanding young women across the nation since 1957. (contributed)

Distinguished Young Women, previously known as America’s Junior Miss, has been providing scholarships and many other benefits to outstanding young women across the nation since 1957. (contributed)

Distinguished Young Women, previously known as America’s Junior Miss, has been providing scholarships and many other benefits to outstanding young women across the nation since 1957. (contributed)

Distinguished Young Women, previously known as America’s Junior Miss, has been providing scholarships and many other benefits to outstanding young women across the nation since 1957. (contributed)

For DYW Communications Director Tara Principe, the organization created a playing field and literally changed the direction of her life. “I had no idea what the program was when my aunt suggested I attend a meeting,” said Principe, 22. “I was skeptical until they handed me a list of schools and scholarship possibilities. I thought, ‘I really need to do this.'”

She did it well, traveling a one-hour round trip to each meeting because her small town didn’t offer a chapter. “Where else can a high school girl put on a business suit and do an interview before a panel of judges?” she said. “I would not have the public speaking and interview skills, and so much else, if not for Distinguished Young Women.” Principe represented Rhode Island in the national finals, receiving scholarships in academics, interview and self-expression.

Rhode Island native Tara Principe fell in love with Mobile after her participation in Distinguished Young Women led to her attending the University of South Alabama. Now she’s DYW’s communications director. (Alabama Power Foundation)

Her trip to Mobile was itself a life-changer, sparking a love affair with the South, particularly with the University of South Alabama, where she graduated in 2019. A senior year internship with DYW turned into the full-time job. “I will be in Mobile for the rest of my life,” she vowed. “And will be associated with DYW for a very long time. I don’t know where I’d be now without this program.”

Thomas ticked off the need-to-know items about why DYW works so well. “This is one of the oldest and largest scholarship programs for young women in the country, and it started right here in Mobile,” she said. “Every year, the best and brightest young women come here. Whether they walk away with college scholarships or with confidence, this program is worthwhile for everyone. I’m lucky to be a part of it.”

It’s evident that DYW was ahead of its time when it was established more than 60 years ago. “These days, empowering young women is a buzzy, hot topic. Everybody’s getting on the bandwagon of helping girls be their best,” Haskins said.

With ongoing community support, DYW is able to continue to provide “hundreds of programs in hundreds of communities impacting thousands of young women every year,” Haskins said. “We are unbelievably grateful. It’s simply amazing.”