Distinguished Young Women pageant April 21

POMEROY–Distinguished Young Women of Pomeroy, A New Era (DYW) program showing casing four local participants, Kiersten Bartels, Elena Morfin, Isabella Field, and Taylor Gilbert will appear at the Seeley Theater on Sunday, April 21, at 5 p.m.

DYW is a scholarship program which provides an outlet for high school senior girls to develop individuality, encouraging academic excellence, personal growth through experiences; interpersonal relationships, physical fitness, public appearance, and communication skills.

Contestant Kiersten Bartels, the daughter of Brian and Kristi Bartels, and Kristin Hatala, who aspires to be a Physical Therapist, will give an original speech for her talent.

Isabella Field, daughter of Chris and Jayci Field, aspires to be an English teacher, and will perform a piano piece called Linus and Lucy, a Peanuts theme song composed by Vince Guaraldi.

Elena Morfin, daughter of Efren Morfin and Enedelia Avila, aspires to be a Mental Health Therapist, and will recite an original monologue in English and Spanish.

Taylor Gilbert, daughter of Nate and Keshia Gilbert, plans to go into Physical Therapy, will present a basketball routine by Bow Wow.

These four contestants will be score on several categories: Be Your Best Self, which requires community service and mentoring of "Little DYW" participants and meet deadlines; Spirit, a peers vote based on attitude and a friendly and welcoming presence; Scholastics, an evaluation of the contestants' high school academic record and test scores; Interview, where each contestant will speak with each adjudicator, providing and overview of their value system, how they relate to others, and how they process ideas and specific situations; Fitness, demonstrating their overall stamina, coordination, agility, presented as a group on stage through choreographed routines; Talent, giving each 90 seconds to do something which will show their innate ability or aptitude in the performing arts; and Self-Expression, which gives the contestants an opportunity to demonstrate poise, confidence, demeanor while addressing the public.

Judges for this local pageant are LouAnn Watson, a CPA from Lewiston, Idaho; Rob Cunningham, a writer and editor from Lewiston, Idaho, and judge of several DYW programs; Bailey Roth, former Jr. Miss from Lewiston, Idaho; Debra Lybyer, Senior Director of Academic Advising at Lewis-Clark State College and a previous Jr. Miss, Moscow, Idaho; and Shanda Hunter of Lewiston, Idaho, mother of two and P1FCU employee.