Jessica Birchall, Oakdale’s Distinguished Young Woman, competed in the Distinguished Young Women of California Class of 2023 State Finals along with 16 incoming high school seniors in Bakersfield this summer.
Founded in 1958, Distinguished Young Women is a free program that encourages participants to reach their full individual potential. Its 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 life skills workshops that prepare them for success after high school.
The competition consisted of five categories: Scholastics, Interview, Fitness, Talent, and Self Expression. For the Scholastics category, Birchall’s academic records were evaluated by a collegiate level educator. She also received a 10-minute personal interview with the program’s judges for the Interview category. For the Fitness category, she executed an aerobic fitness routine that included squats, pushups, and jumps. For the Talent category, Birchall performed “Waterfall” composed by Jon Schmidt on the piano. Finally, she displayed her public speaking ability and confidence for the Self Expression category when she answered the question, “What’s one song that would be on the soundtrack to your life?” Birchall thoughtfully explained her song choice “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys.
Two other categories included in the program were the Be Your Best Self essay contest and the Spirit award voted on by the participants themselves. Birchall was selected for one of two Spirit awards earning a $200 college scholarship. A total of $13,500 in college scholarships was awarded in category and place awards. Jina Kang, Distinguished Young Woman of South Los Angeles County, was named California’s Distinguished Young Woman for the Class of 2023.
Birchall spent a week in Bakersfield preparing for the competition and participating in life skills workshops on topics such as public speaking, self-confidence building, community involvement, etc. After the competition, Oakdale’s Distinguished Young Woman said, “Being a part of the state program was much more impactful than I would’ve expected. I was able to meet so many cool people and learn so much about my future and how to be my best self. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to showcase my talents and push myself to the limits, as everyone should always try to do, because being your best self is about reaching your full potential.”
Attending the program were her parents, Nicholas and Molly Birchall, as well as Oakdale Soroptimist member and Distinguished Young Women Committee Co-Chair Nancy Lilly.
Oakdale’s program is sponsored by Soroptimist International of Oakdale. The next local program for the Class of 2024 will be held in 2023 and is open to junior class girls that reside in the 95361 zip code area or attend Oakdale High School. For more information about the Distinguished Young Women scholarship program, visit www.DistinguishedYW.org. For more information about Soroptimist International of Oakdale, visit www.oakdalesoroptimist.org or on Facebook at Oakdale Soroptimist.
