Ellensburg entrant named Washington's DYW winner

Aug 08, 20190

Sue Hinz count

Megan Kay plays guitar and sings "Highway 20 Ride" (Zac Brown Band).

Sue Hinz count

Kaitlyn Cornish recited a written speech titled "Not All Heroes Wear Capes."

Sue Hinz count

Ellensburg's Distinguished Young Woman will be Washington's representative to the 2020 National Distinguished Young Women national scholarship program.

Tesslyn Preppernau, daughter of Tandy and Ladd Preppernau, was selected Saturday, Aug. 3, during the annual state program at Pullman High School's theater.

A total of 12 high school seniors from across Washington competed, including five from Whitman County: Suellen Rice of Pullman, Hayden Fulfs of Colfax, Brooke Bankus of Garfield//Palouse, Megan Kay of Colton/Uniontown and Kaitlyn Cornish of LaCrosse.

Rice was chosen as second runner-up, receiving the $500 Overall Scholastic Award.

Fulfs won a $200 scholarship for Self Expression and Interview category awards. Her parents are Carey and Steven Fulfs. Brooke Bankus, Garfield-Palouse's representative, won a $200 scholastic award. Her parents are Amanda and Jason Bankus.

More than $8,000 in college scholarships and awards were shared among the young women.

As the second runner-up, Pullman's Rice received a $750 scholarship. Her parents are Gladys and Raymond Rice.

Tayma Vanek of Colfax, Distinguished Young Woman of Washington 2018-19, presented awards and crowned the new state representative.

"It was well-done and well-received, it was nice and loud and, of course, positive," said Sue Hinz, media relations for Distinguished Young Women of Washington.

Preppernau received a $3,500 cash scholarship with her title. She will go on to compete at the annual program in Mobile, Ala., next summer.

The first runner-up Lillian Kirry, DYW of Chewelah, received $1,400 in scholarship money. She is the daughter of Melissa and Clinton Kirry.

The participants were evaluated by a panel of judges in the following categories: Scholastics (25%), Interview (25%), Fitness (15%), Self-Expression (15%) and Talent (20%).

Linda Felber of Salem, Ore., Colfax entrant who was named America's Junior Miss and Washington's Junior Miss 1964, served as the panel of judges at Saturday's competition.