How Distinguished Young Women Changed My Life Part 2

"Ciera Horton, Florida!"

I was filled with such joy when I stepped up to the microphone on the stage in Mobile, Alabama and announced the name of my state at the Distinguished Young Women National Finals.  The two weeks I spent in Mobile were the culmination of many months spent in preparation and training.  Looking back, Nationals was full of innumerable blessings and incredible experiences, such as getting to participate in a radio interview in Mobile or having the opportunity to volunteer at a school for underprivileged children.

The arrival ceremony where I first met my "distinguished" sisters!

Facing the ropes course at Camp Grace

But the best part of my Nationals experience was getting to meet girls from all across the country!  As we all got to know each other, we began to have some really deep conversations and I loved getting to hear about their perspectives and opinions, many of which were different than mine.

One of the first things we did together as a group was visit Camp Grace!  We all faced the ropes course challenge, which was a team building activity meant to unite all of us as sisters and not just competitors.  I have a terrible fear of heights, so I was not at all inclined to participate in an obstacle course forty feet in the air.  I stood on the platform, overlooking a steep drop and I trembled, wondering why we had to go through this.  But through the experience, we all bonded together, helping one another.  After Camp Grace, I felt like we were all truly becoming friends!! 

Autograph signing at the Bel-Air Mall

The days went by and we were able to participate in various activities and experiences.  One of my favorites was the autograph signing at the Bel-Air mall.  I was stunned to be ushered into a large mall where there was a long line of people stretched out the door, all waiting to meet us!  Little girls passed by with our posters, wearing DYW pins and saying things like, "I want to be like you when I grow up!  I want to be distinguished!"  My heart melted when I heard such things—it made me realize what a blessing and a responsibility it is to be a Distinguished Young Woman.  It's about scholarship—but it's also about making a positive impact in your community.  

The Mardi Gras Ball!

Another of my favorite events was the Mardi Gras ball, which was in honor of Mobile's heritage as the birthplace of Mardi Gras.  We were all escorted down an elegant staircase to a room full of "beaus" for the evening and we proceeded to have a dance party while reporters filtered around us.

There was only one thing that very quickly became difficult for me.  We were in rehearsal for hours

Before Community Night

almost every day, drilling the fitness routine, running Self Expression and all of our production numbers.  But...about a month before Nationals, I suffered from a hip injury and had to be in physical therapy, which made practicing for fitness more painful.  Several times during rehearsal, especially as we got closer to the beginning of competition, I had to be taken to the nurse for ice and medication.  It was frustrating to feel limited and in pain, but I had to trust that this was all happening for a reason I couldn't explain.  The day before the first night of competition, I was very upset and in pain and one of the other girls, Rachel Tunney from South Carolina, came and hugged me and offered encouragement. I will never forget her comfort when I was feeling at my lowest!!  The other girls really rallied around me and supported me.  

This is what makes Distinguished Young Women different.  We became sisters.  We were all striving to do our best, but at the same time we were cheering on everyone else.  That fact truly astounded me and has left a lasting impact on my life.  In all that we do, we should reach for excellence, reveling in challenge, but we should seek to build others up along the way.  That, I learned, is what makes someone truly distinguished.

As competition got under way, the pressure and stress became more intense!  Everything was going by in a blur—until, before I knew it, we were opening the top of the show for the first production night!

                         

Talent competition: "Gimme Gimme" from Thoroughly Modern Millie

My favorite part of competition was definitely my talent.  I was able to bring out the 1940s jazz singer that's inside of me somewhere and I just loved walking out on the stage and having fun.

Preliminary fitness competition

Despite my injury, I was able to fully participate in the fitness competition with minimal pain!  And I think I learned a valuable lesson about perseverance along the way.

Top 10 Self-Expression

Self-Expression is often considered the most intimidating category, since contestants are given a question at random on stage.  However, this is also one of my favorite categories, since, as a debater, I love public speaking!  My onstage question for the preliminary round went very well—perhaps my personal best.  However, on the night of Finals, things were more stressful.  After being announced in the Top 10 as contestant #1, I had to compete first in every category, which meant that I had to be the first one to draw a question out of the dreaded fishbowl.  The walk to the question bowl when they announced my name felt agonizingly slow.  And one thought kept running through my mind: Please don't let it be a health care question.  Please don't let it be about health care!  In years past, the Top 10 questions have been from contestants' bios; however, this year we returned to having the judges write current events questions.  I had been intensely studying current events and politics in preparation for Nationals, but I knew there was one topic in particular which was not my strong point.

And...I ended up with a health care question on stage in front of hundreds of people, while camera crews covered the stage wings.  Perfect.  I read the question on the card and couldn't even process what I was really being asked.  So I took a deep breath, passed the card to the emcee and prayed that words would come.  

I made it through my response feeling as though the topic had been my Achilles' heel.  But in those moments, we learn the most.  When we feel unsure, we gain a deeper level of confidence by pushing forward and challenging ourselves.

That night, I walked away with over $20,000 in scholarships for college, winning awards in the Self-Expression and Interview categories and ultimately being named the 2nd runner up.  But what I truly gained was so much more.  This program has taught me so many things about myself and others.

I've learned that...hard work does pay off in the end.
I've learned that...practice doesn't make perfect, but if you practice hard you will feel better about yourself and learn along the way.
I've learned that...relationships are truly more important than anything else.
I've learned that...we should always strive for excellence, taking every opportunity we can to offer encouragement to someone else.

Distinguished Young Women helped me to grow in my strengths and weaknesses in a fun and uplifting environment.  I am so grateful to always be a part of the DYW 2013 family!

For any questions about the program, please comment below or visit the official website http://distinguishedyw.org.

Love,
~Ciera

Top 10 Finalists