Chickasaw/Pawnee sixth grade student Carrie Johnson of Teague, Texas, was selected as a candidate in the Distinguished Youth of Texas Scholarship and Recognition program that was held on Nov. 29 - Dec. 1 at the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel in San Antonio, Texas. During the weekend competition, two students were chosen to receive a $1,000 cash scholarship and the right to serve as a State Program Titleholder for one year. In all, $5,000 in awards and prizes were presented to various participants.
The Distinguished Youth Program is designed to recognize girls in grades 2-7 who rank high academically and who are leaders in their schools and communities. The judging criteria used to select the two state title holders includes the following: Scholastic Record; Service to School and Community; Personality Projection; and Interview. Program Founder, Warren Alexander, stated, “This program truly reflects the female youth of the Twenty-First Century. The candidates are well-rounded, intelligent students. Sixty percent of the judging involves written resumes, with another significant portion being the interview with the judges.”
The Program Finals were held Sunday afternoon, Dec. 1st. Carrie Johnson took seventh place out of 89 contestants for the Young Miss title and also took second place in the sportswear competition when she wore a Teague softball uniform as an optional competition.
Carrie Johnson would like to thank her sponsors for this experience, her parents, Daniel and Melissa (Miorandi) Johnson and Melissa Johnson Photography. Melissa (Miorandi) Johnson is a 1995 graduate of Great Bend High School who now resides in Texas; Carrie Johnson is the granddaughter of John and Darlene Miorandi of Great Bend.