LEXINGTON, KY — On Saturday, January 13, 2024, Ellen Fei of Lexington, Kentucky, was named the Distinguished Young Woman of Kentucky for 2024 and awarded $9,700 in cash scholarships during a statewide scholarship program for high school girls held at Singletary Center for the Arts in Lexington, Kentucky.
Fei was one of 32 high school senior girls from Kentucky who competed to represent the state as the Distinguished Young Woman of Kentucky for 2024. Participants were evaluated in the categories of Scholastics (25 percent), Interview (25 percent), Talent (20 percent), Fitness (15 percent), and Self-Expression (15 percent). This program was the 66th program year and had the largest class of participants in a decade.
Tressa Milburn, the State Co-Chair, stated, “We were excited to host 32 of Kentucky’s brightest young women this past week. My co-chair, Kami Brumley, and I firmly believe that the impact of this event goes beyond scholarships. It’s about creating lasting memories and experiences that will shape the future of these talented young women and fostering an environment in which they can inspire and support each other. We extend our gratitude to all the participants, sponsors, and supporters for making this program a resounding success. We look forward to cheering on Ellen as she heads to the national competition. Her dedication and skills make her a fantastic representative, and we are confident that she will make Kentucky proud.”
Throughout the next year, Fei will represent the state at various public events and serve as a role model to young people by spreading the program’s national outreach message of “Be Your Best Self.” The outreach program is designed to encourage self-esteem and excellence in all young people through its five principles: Be Healthy, Be Involved, Be Studious, Be Ambitious, and Be Responsible.
Fei is the daughter of Dongmei Zhang and Zongming Fei and is a senior at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School.
“When I first joined DYW, I saw it as a program embodying so many activities I was uncomfortable with, from performing challenging fitness routines to putting on makeup to speaking impromptu to large audiences,” says Fei. “In my DYW journey thus far, whether during my local program or State Week, I’ve learned to expand my comfort zone and truly improve over my past self, simultaneously connecting with supportive, talented young women and diverse mentors in this community I never expected to need so much. I’m truly thankful for the experiences this program has given me, and I hope that through it, I can keep finding new ways to be my best self while inspiring younger peers to do the same, pursuing their passions and using them to make a lasting impact on their communities.”
The 67th National Finals will take place on June 27 – 29, 2024, in Mobile, AL. Fei will travel to Mobile, along with 49 other representatives from across the country, to participate in personal development activities and community service projects before competing for the opportunity to become the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2024 and for additional cash scholarships. Alabama’s Carrington Hodge, now a freshman at Vanderbilt University, was named the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2023.
For more information on Distinguished Young Women of Kentucky or to set up an interview with Ellen, please contact Tressa Milburn, Kentucky@DistinguishedYW.org, 859-509-1163.
For more information about Distinguished Young Women, contact the National Office at 251-438-3621, email Communications@DistinguishedYW.org or visit www.DistinguishedYW.org.