Kaiden Quigley chosen Othello's Distinguished Young Woman 2017
Ted Escobar/The Sun Tribune - Rachel Risenmay starts her talent presentation as a music box dancer before breaking into a rip-roaring clogging performance.
Ted Escobar/The Sun Tribune - The 2017 Othello distinguished Young Women court in includes DYW Kaiden Quigley, center, runner-up Rachel Risenmay, left and runner-up Elizabeth Giles. They will reign until March next year.
Ted Escobar/The Sun Tribune - One of the more entertaining moments was the choreographed fitness routine done to music.
Ted Escobar/The Sun Tribune - The best talent performance may have been Hannah Christensen’s presentation of Sally Coathanger's Monologue by Clark Gesner.
Ted Escboar/The Sun Tribune - With 2016 Othello DYW Wendy Rivera at the center, the 2016 court helps the 2017 contestants introduce themselves to an audience of about 300.
Ted Escobar/The Sun Tribune - The 2017 contestants gather for one last photo together.
OTHELLO — Kaiden Quigley won the title of Othello Distinguished Young Woman at a program Saturday that the masters of ceremony, and even audience members, said was tough to call.
Finishing as runners-up in the all-junior competition, were Rachel Risenmay and Elizabeth Giles. All three will represent the community at local events and festivals and parades around the state.
The DYW program is a scholarship competition. Quigley received $1,200 along with her title. Risenmay and Giles received $600 each with their crowns.
All of the contestants were awarded scholarship money. Janey Zapata won $100 each from the Be Your Best Self Award and the Graciela Pruneda Spirit Award. Hannah Christensen received $200 with the self expression award.
Giles picked up an additional $100 with the Congeniality Award. Risenmay added $700 with the Graciela Pruneda Spirit Award, the Leadership Award, the Fitness Award and the Talent Award. Quigley won the Tommie Tindell Patriotism Award, the Scholastic Award and the Interview Award for an additional $600.
The contestants were easily worth the money the community has invested in them. The quality of the show they put on could not have happened without dedication and hours and hours of hard work.
The Emcees kept the action moving. The contestants went through the introduction routine, the fitness routine, talent performances and an impromptu question in about and hour and a half.
Perhaps the toughest part of the evening for the judges was the talent display. Each contestant’s offering was different from the rest, but they all performed their talent well.
The judges recessed to deliberate and took half an hour making their decision. The Washington State DYW and Wendy Rivera, the 2018 Othello DYW, filled some of the time sharing their experiences. The Othello High dance team did a hip-hop presentation.
Quigley is the daughter of Mark and Heather Quigley. She hopes to become an attorney and will start University studies at Dixie State University in Utah.
Risenmay is the daughter of Paul and Wendy Risenmay. She plans to become an interior designer, studying at Brigham Young University Idaho.
Elizabeth Giles’s parents are Brent and Stefanie Giles. She’ll be looking for a career in photography and will begin her studies at BYU Idaho.