National Finals Update | 6.19.22

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sunday, June 19, 2022 at 8:15pm CT
CONTACT: Tara Principe, Marketing & Communications Director
251.438.3621 | Tara@DistinguishedYW.org

Distinguished Young Women plans for Safe and Fair National Finals
Following COVID-19 exposure, activities have been altered to ensure a fair competition June 23, 24, & 25

 Mobile, Ala. – Over the weekend, four state representatives participating in Distinguished Young Women National Finals have tested positive for COVID-19. Those representatives are being quarantined but will have time to rehearse on stage at the Civic Center. Each participant, whether in quarantine or in person, will have equal opportunity to prepare for National Finals.
Each participant, positive or negative for covid, will be filmed in the 3 on stage categories in case they are not able to join the Class of 2022 live on stage. During the filming, the judges panel will be in the theater and will score the performances. This way all participants are judged in a similar environment (on stage, no audience, judges in the theater). If there are positive cases come show day, those participants will follow our quarantine protocol and their videos will be shown on stage while the others perform live.
For National Finals, if the Top Eight are able to be there live, they will be re-judged in the on stage categories following the standard DYW judging guidelines. If one or more participants in the Top Eight are positive and not at the show, the preliminary scores will be used again to determine the overall award winners. This will keep the judging process fair, give covid positive participants the opportunity to be in the show via video, and all participants the opportunity to win scholarships.
As an additional precaution, participants will always remain masked indoors except for mealtimes, during which they will space out and eat separately. For the safety of all involved and to limit possible exposure, some events and activities have been altered to ensure the public is not in contact with the participants.
The competition will begin Thursday, June 23 at the Mobile Civic Center as originally planned for the First Preliminary and will continue with the Second Preliminary on June 24 and National Finals on June 25. All showcases will take place at 7pm CT and attendees are not required to mask or social distance in the Civic Center Theater, but are encouraged to make choices they feel safe with.
If you have questions about our medical safety guidelines and policies, you may contact our Executive Director, Kendra Haskins, by email at Kendra@DistinguishedYW.org. For questions regarding media coverage and interviews, please contact our Marketing & Communications Director, Tata Principe, by phone at 401-632-7124.
About Distinguished Young Women

Founded in 1958, Distinguished Young Women is a free program that encourages participants to reach their full individual potential. Our mission is to empower young women by providing over $1 billion in scholarship opportunities, connecting with a nationwide network of women, developing their self-confidence, and participating in our Life Skills Workshops that prepare them for success after high school. National sponsors include Barbara Barrington Jones Family Foundation, Mobile County, City of Mobile, Alabama Power Foundation, Master Boat Builders, Shoe Station and the Barkin Family, Gant Travel Management, the Coffeen Family, Regions Financial Corporation, Jostens and Alabama Media Group.
For more information about Distinguished Young Women, contact Tara Principe, National Headquarters Marketing and Communications Director, at 251-438-3621 or Tara@DistinguishedYW.org or visit www.DistinguishedYW.org.

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