Karlie Sims, a senior at Anderson County High School, recently competed in the statewide Distinguished Young Women competition representing Anderson County.

The 66th annual Distinguished Young Woman of Kentucky Statewide scholarship program was held on Jan. 13 at Singletary Center on University of Kentucky’s campus.

This year’s state DYW program awarded $30,950 in cash scholarships to 32 high school senior girls throughout the state.

Karlie won DYW of Anderson County in August of 2023 allowing her to advance to the state competition held this past month.

In the state competition the girls participating were evaluated in the categories of scholastics, interview, talent, fitness, and self-expression. Karlie began preparing for each of these categories almost immediately following receiving DYW Anderson County.

Prior to competing in DYW Anderson County, Sims had been in one pageant and had very little experience in stage presentation. She found her experience at the county level to be rewarding and more genuine than that of a traditional pageant.

Karlie stated that due to how similar the county and state programs operate, she felt very prepared going into the state competition. She had to prepare a new solo piece to play on the trumpet as her talent, learn new routines for fitness and opening numbers, and start working on her mock interviews.

Karlie advanced into the top 10 as a finalist where she performed her talent, fitness, and self-expression for the judges a second time. She also received the preliminary scholastic award receiving a total of $900 in scholarship money.

Karlie stated preparing for the state competition can be overwhelming and she was thankful to Sue Loue Smith and Amy Kate who played large roles in preparation for DYW Anderson County for helping her through the entire process for the state program.

“My biggest takeaway from DYW would definitely be that it’s possible to lift each other up even in the midst of a ‘competition.’ I thought that going into state week all of the girls would be guarded and concerned with winning, but this really wasn’t the case at all,” Karlie stated.

Karlie added that the girls participating were supportive and kind despite competing against one another and were constantly cheering each other on during rehearsals.

“This program has not only boosted my confidence, but given me lifelong friends and connections,” Karlie stated.

Looking into her future, Karlie hopes to attend the University of Kentucky with a major in Biology/Human Health Sciences on a Pre-Med track to become a Pediatric Hospitalist.

She added that she would love to continue to participate in DYW related activities in the future, specifically attending the state program next year as alumni to give out awards.

Karlie’s advice to young girls aspiring to participate in DYW or a similar program is to, “Believe in yourself! DYW is a place where you can express yourself, share your talents, and make new friends. It can seem intimidating at times, but don’t let that scare you, simply be yourself and allow challenges to make you better. DYW is hard work, but it is so rewarding, just be brave and stay confident in who you are!”

For more information about Distinguished Young Women, contact their National Headquarters at 251-438-3621 or visit www.DistinguishedYW.org.