As Hannah Watts’ year as Marion County Distinguished Young Woman comes to an end, she did not allow the pandemic to ruin her year, but instead used it to her advantage and thrived.
“It has been a great year because a lot of the things I have been able to do I couldn’t do in a normal year of DYW,” Watts said.
The first thing she said was, even though most of the events were virtual, she probably got to know the other contestants throughout the state better because of the multiple Zoom meetings. Had everything been in person as it was before, she believes she would not have established the relationships that she has.
Watts said the greatest thing she has received from the program had been the community she made. To be successful in the program, she said it takes a village of people. Everyone has been willing to help her as she prepared.
Normally the state competition is a week-long stay in Meridian. However, due to the coronavirus, most of the festivities associated with it were canceled. She went to Meridian for one day, yet she credits the DYW committees on the state and local levels for going above and beyond in making sure all the participants still had amazing experiences.
“I’m really thankful for the DYW committee here and all they did to prepare me,” Watts said.
One of the best and most beneficial experiences she captured throughout the year was from all of the mock interviews she took part in, especially in light of the state competition. She said the local committee held mock interviews every week with her. Getting comfortable with the interviews allowed her to excel for her college scholarship interview.
The mock interviews have helped her out more than she ever thought. The experience she has received from those is something she says she will take with her for the rest of her life and definitely in her college career. She said it has allowed her to be calm and successful in her interviews. That preparation allowed her to receive a full scholarship to Ole Miss through the Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program Scholarship. She credits the DYW program for her interview success.
For her competition at the state level, it was harder to do the fitness and talent portions because she did not have an audience to cheer her on. She had to record and submit those parts to the judges.
She could not be out in public with the shut down due to the virus, as other DYWs have in the past. It was hard in some ways because she could not meet a lot of people, but she found ways to get around it. She said she focused on one-on-one activities instead.
One advantage she had however, was it allowed her to see opportunities from the program she wasn’t aware of such as the Youth Speaker’s Tournament, which she placed first in the high school division. She also joined a team in the Congressional App Challenge, which she also placed first in that category.
“I only entered into that because I found out about it through DYW,” Watts said of the Congressional App Challenge.
Overall, she says she has gotten so much out of the experience, including new friendships.
“The other girls in DYW are amazing. They have given me so much. I will never be able to repay them,” Watts said.
Also, through the local DYW, more than $1,700 in scholarships have been awarded. With the scholarships Watts received, she will be pursuing a degree in secondary English education and public policy with a minor in Spanish. Watts knows she wants to teach, but she also wants to get involved with education legislation. She sees herself eventually going to law school to earn her law degree.
She discovered her passion for changes in laws for education is something she also credits the DYW program for helping her find. From the mock interviews and the onstage interviews, she realized how much her answers revolved around educational policies and showing how important it is to her.
Watts said she recommends young ladies participate in the DYW program, which is designed around the notion of “being your best self.” Through the program, participants are constantly being encouraged to do just that.
Watts concluded, “The program allowed me to do that, and I know this is something that will stay with me the rest of my life.”
The new Marion County DYW will be crowned on April 24.
