O’Brien to participate at Washington DYW scholarship program

Fourteen Washington high school seniors will participate in the Aug. 5 Distinguished Young Women Washington scholarship program at Washington State University’s Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum.

Participants in the 2017-18 program include Josie Pierce, Almira-Coulee-Hartline (ACH); Nicole Connor, Asotin; Andrea Franks, Chewelah; Hannah Latella, Clarkston; Jantzen Larsen, Colfax; Ali Hennigar, Colton/Uniontown; Ashlyn Cox, Ellensburg; Tessa O’Brien, Lind-Ritzville; Elizabeth Bravo, Mattawa; Jana Osborne, Moses Lake; Kaiden Quigley, Othello; May Qiang, Pullman; Claire Sorgen, Sultan; and Jandica Backell, Warden.

The judging panel will be Stacy Sharp, of Olympia, a former Junior Miss state board member; Babs Pfaff, of Oakesdale, the 1972 Oakesdale Junior Miss, 1973 Washington Junior Miss and former state board member; Lenne Jo Best, of Eagle, Idaho, 1975 Clarkston’s Junior Miss, 1976 Washington Junior Miss and America’s Junior Miss; Karen Meye, of Spokane, former Junior Miss State Chairman; Linda Felber, of Willamette Valley, Oregon, 1964 Colfax’s Junior Miss, Washington Junior Miss and America’s Junior Miss.


The participants will arrive Tuesday, Aug. 1, to begin practicing several stage routines that will highlight the 7 p.m. program Aug. 5 at the Beasley Coliseum.

Danielle Kallaher, program co-chair, said each participant will perform a talent number and participate in fitness and self-expression routines during the evening program. The teens meet individually with a panel of judges earlier. More than $10,000 in college scholarships will be awarded at the state program.

The participants will stay with Pullman families for several days while rehearsing for the on-stage program.

The local host families include Wendy Jo and Shane Brenan, Jenni Spencer and Larry Clark, Julie and Derek Walker, Becky Krantz, Kaitlin and Phil Watson, Judy and Gary Pickelsimer, Holly and Jerry Hein, and Charla and Asif Chaudhry.

Tickets are available through TicketsWest outlets and at the door the evening of the program for $20.

This is the state’s 60th annual scholarship program. Its goal is to emphasize education by providing scholarship opportunities to outstanding college-bound high school girls, and to encourage personal development in all young people, Kallaher said.