Anne Katherine Corley of Auburn High School was named the new Distinguished Young Woman (DYW) of Lee County for the class of 2027 on July 11, 2026, at the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts. Corley received $6,250 in program scholarships to use at the college of her choice. Blakely Parrish of Opelika High School was named the first runner-up and received $4,000 in scholarships, and Claire Hendrickson of Auburn High School was named the second runner-up and received $3,150 in scholarships.
In total, the DYW of Lee County program awarded $17,925 in college scholarships. Additionally, Hood College and the University of West Alabama provided $3.25 million in college-granted scholarships across the 21 participants.
The DYW of Lee County program awarded five scholarships in each program category: scholastics, interview, talent, fitness, and self-expression. Five scholarships were awarded to participants for superior community service records, and five scholarships were awarded for writing an essay on striving to be your best self. The participants selected one participant who best represents the ideals of the DYW program to receive the Spirit Award. The full list of award recipients is below:
Scholastic Awards: Anne Katherine Corley, Livvy Cook, Audrey Edwards, Adrienne Jansen, and Blakely Parrish
Interview Awards: Anne Katherine Corley, Claire Hendrickson, Blakely Parrish, Lauren Quansah, and Madelyn Stallworth-Ward
Talent Awards: Anne Katherine Corley, Audrey Edwards, Claire Hendrickson, Nan Kelly, and Addison Ley
Fitness Awards: Anne Katherine Corley, Claire Hendrickson, Addison Ley, Blakely Parrish, and Jayden Sims
Self-Expression Awards: Anne Katherine Corley, Claire Hendrickson, Adrienne Jansen, Blakely Parrish, and Lauren Quansah
Be Your Best Self Essay Awards: Jada Coleman, Claire Hendrickson, Marley Hunt, Addison Ley, and Lauren Quansah
Community Service Awards: Livvy Cook, Audrey Edwards, Marley Hunt, Lauren Quansah, and Jayden Sims
Spirit Award Winner: Katie Delmore
Anne Katherine Corley will advance to the state program in January 2027 to compete for additional scholarships and the title of Distinguished Young Woman of Alabama.
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 our Life Skills Workshops that prepare them for success after high school.
