Campbell reigns as Distinguished Young Woman

MADISON – After winning the talent category, Ashlie Campbell went on to be crowned 2018 Distinguished Young Woman of Madison County.

Campbell captured the title at the event at Von Braun Center Playhouse on June 17. Ashlie, the daughter of Mike and Maggie Campbell, is an incoming senior at Bob Jones High School.

In preliminary competition, Ashlie won the talent scholarship winner for her outstanding jazz dance solo. She had a strong turnout of support from her fellow students and instructors from The Dance Company.

The Distinguished Young Women National Scholarship Program, formerly America’s Junior Miss, was founded in 1958 as a way to reward the accomplishments of high school senior girls seeking to pursue higher education. Local programs for Distinguished Young Woman promote and reward scholarship, leadership and talent in young women.

At Bob Jones, Ashlie serves as a Student Ambassador, Vice-President of National Honor Society and is involved in Student Government Association and National English Honors Society. At The Dance Company, she has achieved the level of Company Dancer.

She is a member of Lindsey Lane Baptist Church in Athens.

After she graduates in May 2018, Ashlie plans to attend Auburn University and major in business, while continuing her dancing. In late January 2018, she will represent Madison County in the statewide program for Distinguished Young Woman in Montgomery.

Other Madison County scholarship winners included Katherine Downs of Bob Jones with Fitness & Self-Expression Scholarships and title of first alternate. Molly Sullivan of Madison Academy was named second alternate.

Also receiving awards were scholarship recipient Kailee Poteete of Buckhorn High School; Shannon Story of Randolph School, winner of “Be Your Best Self” essay and interview awards; and Morgan Gibson of New Century Technology High School, winner of the Spirit Award from a vote of fellow participants.

Distinguished Young Women is the largest and oldest scholarship program of its kind for high school girls. Notable alumnae of the organization include Diane Sawyer, Deborah Norville and Debra Messing.

Cash scholarships are awarded at the local level and millions in college-granted scholarships are available ($1.1 billion nationally). Thanks to generous local donors, this year the Madison County program was able to award $6,200 in cash scholarships.

All county winners advance to the state program in Montgomery to vie for more than $42,500 in cash tuition scholarships. The Distinguished Young Woman program is open to all incoming senior girls and is free to participate.

For more information, visit madison.al.distinguishedyw.org or Facebook/DYWMadisonCty.