Distinguished Young Women, formerly known as America's Junior Miss, is a national non-profit organization that provides scholarship opportunities to high school senior girls. Depending on the schedule of the various state and local programs, young women are eligible during the summer preceding their senior year in high school. This program is designed to provide young women with the opportunity and support needed to succeed before, during, and after attending college. In addition, through the Distinguished Young Women Life Skills program, which includes workshops and online resources, participants can learn skills like interviewing, public speaking, self-confidence building and much more. Since its creation in 1958, over 700,000 young ladies have participated in competitions spanning the United States. Participants compete in the categories of Interview (25%), Scholastics (25%), Talent (20%), Fitness (15%), and Self-Expression (15%). Each state hosts a state program in which the chosen representative advances to the national program, held in the program's birthplace of Mobile, Alabama. Each year the Distinguished Young Women program gives out over $1 billion in scholarships. The Distinguished Young Women program is free to enter.
History
Early years
In the late 1920s, Mobile's Junior Chamber of Commerce, known today as the Jaycees, began the earliest form of the Junior Miss program as an annual floral pageant in the spring to encourage participation from residents in local beautification projects, including azalea flowers. The winner of the pageant would eventually choose her successor to carry on the role of representing the annual program: an act similar to what every America's Junior Miss has done a year after winning the title, but it's the judges who decide first.
Shortly after the Second World War, the Junior Chamber changed the program especially for young high school juniors to participate. Prizes included the honor of being queen of the Azalea Trail Maids, Mobile's official hostesses at special events. Before 1957, the Junior Chamber realized that not only were Mobilians participating in their program, so were Mississippi and Florida residents. It was decided that year to make the program national, allowing high school seniors from every state to participate in the renamed America's Junior Miss. Unlike the Miss America pageant which started as a beauty pageant, but now includes judging on Evening Gown, Private 12 Minute Interview, On Stage Q & A, and Swimsuit, America's Junior Miss has always been a scholarship program. America's Junior Miss participants were required to be seniors in high school and were judged on scholastic achievement, creative and performing arts, physical fitness, poise and appearance, and a judges' interview. Bathing suits were never a part of the America's Junior Miss.
Tennessee's Katye Brock was Named America's 2011 Distinguished Young Woman. Christina Maxwell of Asheville, North Carolina was named Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2012. Nicole Renard of Washington State was named Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2013. Brooke Rucker of Georgia was the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2014. On June 27, 2015, Alaska's Máire Nakada was named the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2015. In 2016, Tara Moore of South Carolina was named Distinguished Young Woman of America. The next year saw Skye Bork of DC named Distinguished Young Woman of 2017. On June 30, 2018, Aaryan Morrison from Kokomo, Indiana was named Distinguished Young Woman of 2018.
2020s
2020 saw the competition held for the first time virtually resulting from COVID-19 pandemic.
Past winners
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! <small>Year</small>
! <small>Date</small>
! width=12% | <small>Winner</small>
! <small>State/District</small>
! <small>City</small>
! <small>Age</small>
! <small>Awards</small>
! <small>Talent</small>
! <small>Notes</small>
|-
| 1958
| March 1, 1958
| Phyllis Whitenack
| West Virginia
| Bluefield
| 17
|
| Dramatic monologue
| Given title "Junior Miss America"
| Pennsylvania
| Lewistown
| 17
|
| Dramatic reading,
| Title renamed "America’s Junior Miss"
|-
| 1960
| March 26, 1960
| Maureen Sullivan
| Connecticut
| West Haven
| 17
|
|
|
|-
| 1961
|March 24, 1961
| Mary Frances Luecke
| Missouri
| St. Louis
| 18
|
|
|
|-
| 1962
| March 23, 1962
| Jean Allen
| Rhode Island
| Providence
| 17
|
|
|
|-
| 1963
| March 16, 1963
| Diane Sawyer
| Kentucky
| Louisville
| 17
|
|
| Former anchor of ABC World News
|-
| 1964
| March 21, 1964
| Linda Felber
| Washington
| Colfax
| 18
|
|
|
|-
| 1965
| March 19, 1965
| Patrice Gaunder
| Michigan
| St. Joseph
| 17
|
|
|
|-
| 1966
| March 26, 1966
| Diane Wilkins
| Wisconsin
| Wauwatosa
| 18
|
|
|
|-
| 1967
| March 18, 1967
| Rosemary Dunaway
| Arkansas
| Little Rock
| 18
|
|
|
|-
| 1968
| March 15, 1968
| Debi Faubion
| Oklahoma
| Norman
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1969
| May 6, 1969
| Jackie Bennington
| California
| Huntington Beach
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1970
| May 13, 1970
| Karen Stenwall
| Arizona
| Phoenix
| 18
|
| Ballet
|
|-
| 1971
| May 5, 1971
|Arlene Stens
| New Jersey
| Woodlynne
| 18
|
|
|
|-
| 1972
| May 9, 1972
| Lydia Hodson
| Kentucky
| Lexington
| 17
|
|
|
|-
| 1973
| May 9, 1973
|Linda Rutledge
| Kansas
| Fort Leavenworth
| 18
|
| Classical piano
|
|-
| 1974
| May 6, 1974
| Karen Morris
| Wyoming
| Cheyenne
| 18
|
|
|
|-
| 1975
| May 6, 1975
|Julie Ann Forshee
| Arkansas
| Fayetteville
| 17
|
| Ballet/Gymnastics routine,
|
|-
| 1976
| May 10, 1976
| Lenne Jo Hallgren
| Washington
| Clarkston
| 18
|
|
|
|-
| 1977
| May 9, 1977
| Christy Moller
| Arkansas
|
|
|
| Ballet,
|
|-
| 1978
| May 8, 1978
| Kim Crosby
| Missouri
| Springfield
| 17
|
| Vocal,
| Starred in Guys and Dolls and Into the Woods on Broadway
|-
| 1979
| April 14, 1979
| Susan Horvath
| Pennsylvania
| Johnstown
| 17
|
| Dance
|
|-
| 1980
| July 2, 1980
| Julie Bryan
| Georgia
| Thomasville
| 18
|
| Vocal,
|Former weekend anchor and co-host for Entertainment Tonight
|-
| 1981
| June 18, 1981
| Kimberly Smith
| North Carolina
| Raleigh
| 17
|
| Acrobatic jazz dance,
|
|-
| 1982
| June 22, 1982
| Susan Hammett
| Mississippi
| Hattiesburg
| 17
|
| Vocal,
|
|-
| 1983
| June 21, 1983
| Stephanie Ashmore
| Alabama
| Muscle Shoals
| 18
|
| Ballet,
| Mother of Distinguished Young Women of Mississippi 2012, Mallory Pitts
|-
| 1984
| June 20, 1984
| Amber Kvanli
| Minnesota
| Willmar
| 17
|
| Vocal,
|
|-
| 1985
| June 21, 1985
| Valerie Lowrance
| Texas
| Seguin
| 17
|
| Song and dance routine,
|
|-
| 1986
| June 21, 1986
| Lori Jo Smith
| Virginia
| Vienna
| 18
|
| Jazz dance
|
|-
| 1987
| June 20, 1987
| Chuti Tiu
| Wisconsin
| West Allis
| 17
|
| Classical piano
| First non-Caucasian winner<br>Later Miss Illinois 1994
| Mississippi
| Hattiesburg
| 17
|
| Vocal,
|
|-
| 1989
| July 22, 1989
| Kristin Huxhold
| Missouri
| Kirkwood
| 18
|
| Vocal
| Title renamed "America's Young Woman of the Year"<br>Appeared on Broadway in ensemble of Les Misérables
|-
| 1990
| July 14, 1990
| Sara Martin
| Illinois
| Schaumburg
| 19
|
| Vocal
| Later Miss Illinois 1993
|-
| 1991
|June 26, 1991
| Amy Goodman
| rowspan=2 | California
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1992
| June 27, 1992
| Tiffany Stoker
| Clovis
|
|
| Vocal
| Later Miss California 1995<br>3rd runner-up at Miss America 1996 pageant
|-
|-
| 1993
| June 26, 1993
| Rebecca Jones
| Georgia
| Calhoun
| 18
|
|
| Title renamed "America's Junior Miss"
|-
| 1994
| July 23, 1994
| Amy Osmond
| Utah
| Bountiful
| 17
|
| Violin
| Niece of Donny and Marie Osmond
| New Jersey
| Washington Township
| 18
|
| Dance
| Died of cocaine overdose in 2015
| Tennessee
| Collierville
| 18
|
| Ballet, <small>"Forrest Gump Suite"</small>
| Later Miss New York 2001, 4th runner-up at Miss America 2002 pageant
|-
| 1997
| June 29, 1997
| Tyrenda Williams
| Alabama
| Birmingham
| 18
|
|
| First African American crowned
| Pennsylvania
| Butler
| 18
|
| Piano,
|
|-
| 1999
| June 28, 1999
| Sarah Jane Everman
| Georgia
| Kennesaw
| 18
|
| Vocal,
| Appeared in Wicked, Bright Star, and Cats on Broadway
|-
| 2000
| June 28, 2000
| Jesika Henderson
| Utah
| St. George
| 18
|
| Modern dance,
|
|-
| 2001
| June 27, 2001
| Carrie Colvin
| Alabama
| Birmingham
| 18
|
| Jazz dance,
|
|-
| 2002
| June 28, 2002
| Amy Kerr
| Oregon
| Keizer
|
|
| Operatic vocal,
|
|-
| 2003
| June 28, 2003
| Andrea Finch
| California
| Indio
| 18
|
|
|
|-
| 2004
| June 26, 2004
| Shannon Essenpreis
| Texas
| Garland
| 18
|
| Vocal
|
|-
| 2005
| June 26, 2005
| Kelli Schutz
| Mississippi
| Brandon
|
|
| Ballet
| Married to former NFL quarterback, Brodie Croyle
|-
| 2006
| June 28, 2006
| Taylor Phillips
| Minnesota
| Mendota Heights
| 17
|
| Violin,
|
|-
| 2008
| June 28, 2008
| Lindsey Brinton
| Utah
| Salt Lake City
| 18
|
| Piano
| Previously Miss Utah's Outstanding Teen 2007<br>1st runner-up at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2008 pageant
|-
| 2009
| June 27, 2009
| Michelle Rodgers
| Kentucky
| Winchester
|
| |
| Vocal,
|
|-
| 2010
| June 26, 2010
| Madison Leonard
| Idaho
| Coeur d'Alene
|
|
| Vocal/Piano,
| Title renamed "Distinguished Young Woman"
|-
| 2011
|June 25, 2011
| Katye Brock
| Tennessee
| Tullahoma
| 18
|
|Vocal,
|
|-
| 2012
| June 30, 2012
| Christina Maxwell
| North Carolina
| Asheville
| 18
|
| Vocal,
|
|-
| 2013
| June 29, 2013
| Nicole Renard
| Washington
| Kennewick
| 18
|
| Musical theater dance,
| Previously Miss Washington's Outstanding Teen 2011<br>Later Miss Washington 2017
|-
| 2014
|June 28, 2014
| Brooke Rucker
| Georgia
| Cartersville
| 18
|
| Tap dance,
|
|-
| 2015
| June 27, 2015
| Máire Nakada
| Alaska
| Anchorage
| 18
|
| Irish step dance,
|
|-
| 2016
|June 25, 2016
| Tara Moore
| South Carolina
| Easley
|
|
|Jazz dance
|
|-
| 2017
| July 1, 2017
| Skye Bork
| District of Columbia
| Washington, D.C.
| 18
|
| Classical ballet en pointe,
|
|-
| 2018
| June 30, 2018
| Aaryan Morrison
| Indiana
| Kokomo
|
|
| Lyrical dance,
| First generation South African American
|-
| 2019
| June 29, 2019
| Dora Guo
| Illinois
| Vernon Hills
|
|
| Traditional Mongolian fan dance
| First generation Chinese American
|-
| 2020
| June 27, 2020
| Elif Ozyurekoglu
| Kentucky
| Louisville
|
|
|
|
|-
|2021
|June 26, 2021
|Destiny Cluck
| Georgia
|Kennesaw
|
|
|Ballet en pointe, <small>Astor Piazzolla’s “Primavera Portena”</small>
|
|-
|2022
|June 25, 2022
|Katelyn Cai
| Arizona
|Scottsdale
|
|
|Contemporary dance routine, <small>“This Woman’s Work,” by Kate Bush</small>
|Previously Miss Arizona's Outstanding Teen 2019 <br>1st runner-up at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2020
|-
|2023
|June 24, 2023
|Carrington Hodge
| Alabama
|Helena
|
|
|Dance routine, <small>"Blackbird"</small>
|-
|2024
|June 29, 2024
|Alicia Chu
| Delaware
|Newark
|
|Scholastics Category
Interview Category
Talent Category
Self-Expression Category
|Vocal
|-
|2025
|June 28, 2025
|Nikita Chincholkar
| Oregon
|Portland
|
|Scholastics Category
Interview Category
Talent Category
Fitness Category
|Bharatanatyam Fusion Dance
|
|}
Winners by state
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! State
! Number of <br/>titles won
! Year(s) won
|-
| Kentucky
| rowspan="2" |
| 1963, 1972, 2006, 2009, 2020
|-
| Georgia
| 1980, 1993, 1999, 2014, 2021
|-
| California
| rowspan="2" |
| 1969, 1991, 1992, 2003
|-
|Alabama
|1983, 1997, 2001, 2023
|-
|Washington
| rowspan="6" |
| 1964, 1976, 2013
|-
|Utah
| 1994, 2000, 2008
|-
| Mississippi
| 1982, 1988, 2005
|-
| Pennsylvania
| 1959, 1979, 1998
|-
| Missouri
| 1961, 1978, 1989
|-
| Arkansas
| 1967, 1975, 1977
|-
|Arizona
| rowspan="9" |
| 1970, 2022
|-
|Illinois
|1990, 2019
|-
|Oregon
|2002, 2025
|-
|North Carolina
|1981, 2012
|-
|Tennessee
| 1996, 2011
|-
| Minnesota
| 1984, 2007
|-
|Texas
| 1985, 2004
|-
| Wisconsin
| 1966, 1987
|-
| New Jersey
| 1971, 1995
|-
|Delaware
| rowspan="15" |
|2024
|-
| Indiana
| 2018
|-
|District of Columbia
| 2017
|-
| South Carolina
| 2016
|-
| Alaska
| 2015
|-
|Idaho
|2010
|-
|Virginia
| 1986
|-
|Wyoming
|1974
|-
|Kansas
| 1973
|-
|Oklahoma
|1968
|-
|Michigan
|1965
|-
| Rhode Island
| 1962
|-
|Connecticut
| 1960
|-
| West Virginia
| 1958
|}
States without winners
There have been no winners from the following states:
- Colorado
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- South Dakota
- Vermont