With grace and eloquence, six young women participated in the annual Distinguished Young Women program at the Picayune auditorium Saturday night.

After competing against five other Pearl River County high school juniors, Picayune Memorial High School student Kamryn Breanne Clymer was named Pearl River County’s Distinguished Young Woman of 2018.

Clymer also received the John B. Lumpkin Spirit, Sam Adkins Be Your Best Self, Scholastic Winner, Self-Expression and Talent awards for the night.

First runner-up was awarded to PMHS student Elizabeth Brianne Barrios and second runner-up was Poplarville High School student Jessica Skyler Baldwin, who also received the Marilyn Lumpkin Interview award.

Pearl River Central High School student Savana Jayde Oalmann received the Jeff Wolfe Fitness Award. PRC student Jaya Monique Treat also competed on Saturday. 

Through months of preparation and training for fitness tests, speaking skills, choreography and finalizing talent routines and perfecting stage presence, the young women took home more than just an award.

“The program is really great, it really hits on every aspect that is important in a girl’s life,” Clymer said.

She and the other girls worked with trainers and tutors who pushed the contestants to be their best during this competition.

“I really improved a lot and I learned a lot about myself,” Clymer said.

Before the night began, the contestants had already been scored on interview and scholastic achievements, which totaled 50 percent of the score.

With interludes of special entertainment from Miss Sarah’s School of Dance and Sunni’s Elite Dance Academy, as well as two performances from Pearl River County Distinguished Young Woman 2017 Brooke Warden, the night’s theme of empowering women was not hard to see.

As the curtain was opened, contestants came forth for the first competition, self-expression. Each student drew a question and gave their position on the given issue, ranging from parents reading their child’s text messages and social media posts to what adults can learn from the younger generation.

During the talent portion of the competition, Clymer stood out with her self-written, spoken word entitled “Joy,” inspired by her time in Senegal.

“Do you know what joy is? Don’t be afraid to answer honestly because I didn’t either until I saw the faces in poverty…How did she find joy in this place, well I didn’t mention before the look on that little girls face. The one showering under a gutter, giggling and laughing with all the others, looking back they all have one thing in common, smiles that would light up this room,” Clymer recited. “My friends in poverty taught me to stop believing the lie that joy comes from the outside and to start living in the truth that because Jesus walked out of that tomb, my joy will never die.”

Contestants then competed in the fitness competition, highlighting the importance of physical activity in the life of a young woman.

Before the end of the night, Warden reflected on her time representing Pearl River County.

“I was told once before that this program is called Distinguished Young Women, it is because it’s not about just one person or winner, it is about this big collective group of women who are showing the world what it means to be beautiful.”

More photos from the event are available for viewing on our Facebook page.