Over the summer, female junior students throughout the state of Illinois had the opportunity to win the Distinguished Young Women of Illinois scholarship. Riverside Brookfield High School senior Sofia Miller placed third overall in the competition over the summer, placing her among the top high school girls within the state.
The Distinguished Young Women of Illinois scholarship is the state branch of the Distinguished Young Women non-profit organization. Students from different parts of the state came together and participated within the program in order for a chance to win. They offer the scholarships based on interviews, public speaking, athletics, self-expression, and academic achievements.
“[Winning the award] was so gratifying because it was so many months of hard work, and I’m glad that all the time and effort that I put in paid off,” Miller said. “Honestly, it was a complete surprise to me because I was surrounded by so many girls that were so talented and accomplished.”
Miller placed third in the state, first in the fitness category, and was selected as one of the top 22 senior females in Illinois. She earned scholarships to 12 different colleges and a cash scholarship to her preferred school. RB has recognized Miller and congratulated her on winning the award.
“To me, the award is just a recognition of all the time and effort I’ve put in throughout high school,” Miller said. “I’ve been trying my best to follow all the pillars and ideas that this organization follows, and I truly feel that I did my best and the work paid off.”
To be able to participate in the program, students throughout the state had to compete and go through tests to determine their eligibility to receive the award. Despite the challenges, students who have participated have shared that they’ve enjoyed their experience within the program and competition.
“The Distinguished Young Women of Illinois scholarship is a national program that empowers young women to reach their full potential by providing different scholarships,” RB counselor Lisa Guzmán said. “I know that [the program] asks about a certain talent. If there’s something that you find yourself to be passionate about or you kind of [want to] immerse yourself in—whether it’s a sport or something that you’re really passionate about—and you want to share it with others, I think that would be something good to pursue. If there’s any way I can help, then we can sit and have a conversation and kind of move forward with the next steps.”
Whether you have an interest in drawing or athletics, the Distinguished Young Women program offers a chance to highlight your passion. Students are able to make friends with other participants within the program and to possibly pursue a new interest with the influence of others.
“I want more people at RB to get involved with the Distinguished Young Women program,” Miller said. “I hope that people, even if they decide not to participate in the program, are inspired by the idea of putting in hard work and achieving goals.”
