By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
VanderVeen Named Oakdales Distinguished Young Woman
Soroptomist Honors
DYW  VanderVeen
Annalise VanderVeen, left, a junior at Oakdale High School is all smiles on Saturday night after senior and reigning Distinguished Young Woman Amy Craig passed her title on to VanderVeen. The annual Distinguished Young Women of Oakdale program is sponsored by Soroptimist International of Oakdale. Photo Courtesy Of Bill Kimball/Chapman Photography

VanderVeen Named Oakdale’s

Distinguished Young Woman 

 

The annual Distinguished Young Women of Oakdale program, sponsored by Soroptimist International of Oakdale, was held Saturday, Feb. 13, at Magnolia School Auditorium. Oakdale High School senior and reigning Distinguished Young Woman Amy Craig passed her title to Annalise VanderVeen, a junior at Oakdale High School.

In addition to the $2,500 scholarship for the title award, Annalise received a $200 scholarship in the Self Expression category. Scholarship awards were also presented to Anne Homer, Second Place ($1,000); TJ Verdegaal, Third Place ($800); Elizabeth White, Fourth Place ($600); and Katie Dunlop, Fifth Place ($400). Anne Homer also received a $200 scholarship in the Interview Category, a $250 Community Service Award, and was selected by her fellow candidates for the $200 Spirit Award. The remaining $200 category award scholarships were presented to Katie Dunlop for Fitness, Kaitlyn Mast Gruidl for Talent, and Elizabeth White for Scholastics. Laci Blount, Madison Marler, Carley Newbill, Makenzie Phillips, and Autumn Neal also participated in the program.

A total of $6,750 in scholarships were awarded from donations received from the Oakdale Lions Club, Oakdale Rotary Club, Oak Valley Community Bank, Fran Krieger Agency - Farmers Insurance, Century 21 M&M Realty, Dr. Chet and Parnima Mahida, Dr. A. Lee Scaief, Drs. Jeff and Jodi Sceville, and Valley First Credit Union. Soroptimist International of Oakdale provided the title award.

Annalise VanderVeen will go on to represent Oakdale at California’s Distinguished Young Women program July 15 through 24, 2016 in Bakersfield for an opportunity to earn additional scholarship awards.

Founded in 1958 in Mobile, Alabama, Distinguished Young Women is the largest and oldest national scholarship program for high school girls. During its 58 years of operation, the program has provided life-changing experiences for more than 740,000 young women. Last year, Distinguished Young Women provided more than $820 million in cash and college scholarship opportunities to program participants at the local, state and national level. Previously known as America’s Junior Miss, the program announced its new name in June 2010.

The mission of Distinguished Young Women is to positively impact the lives of young women by providing a transformative experience that promotes and rewards scholarship, leadership and talent. National sponsors include Mobile County, City of Mobile, Wintzell’s Oyster House, the Hearin-Chandler Foundation, Encore Rehabilitation, Alabama Power Foundation, Master Boat Builders, Barbara Barrington Jones Family Foundation, Regions Financial Corporation, and Alabama Media Group.

For more information about Distinguished Young Women, contact Megan Arendall, National Headquarters Marketing and Communications Director (251-438-3621, Megan@DistinguishedYW.org) or visit www.DistinguishedYW.org. You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube.

 

For more information about Soroptimist International of Oakdale, contact President Diane Ott (209-614-8451), visit www.oakdalesoroptimist.org, or find them on Facebook.