Be healthy. Be involved. Be studios. Be ambitious. Be responsible.
These are the traits that Distinguished Young Women all around the state are demonstrating at the State Distinguished Young Woman program at the Evangel Temple on July 16, 17, and 18.
Among the many contestants is Clarke County’s Lily Kate Johnson, who does her best each day to inspire and encourage others to be their best self.
For Lily Kate, becoming the 2027 Clarke County Distinguished Young Woman was an honor since the program was something that has always helped her grow over the years.
“My mother and I always watched DYW when I was growing up. It was just something we did as a mother and daughter. When it was finally my turn to be a little sister, I was thrilled because I got to watch it firsthand, and I was able to see how hard the girls had to work for it. I was able to see what Star was doing with the title when she won,” explained Lily Kate. “Whenever it was my time, I was so thrilled because I was able to do something that I always looked up to as a little girl because the Distinguished Young Woman program always produces great women. When it was finally my time to do it, I was just overwhelmed with excitement because I had the opportunity to represent our county.”
Along with winning the overall title of Distinguished Young Woman for Clarke County, she also managed to win in various categories of the program: self-expression, fitness, talent, and ad sales.
Once she received her title, she didn’t waste any time and immediately got involved in community events that were taking place.
She participated in both Mardi Gras parades and even made an appearance to assist with Breakfast With Bunnies close to Easter.
There have also been different community service projects that she has done; she even started some of the community service before the Clarke County competition took place.
“I volunteer at the library,” informed Lily Kate. “I keep up the bulletin board. I decorated the bulletin board for the spring, and I decorated it for the summer reading program. I like to do that project because my little sister and I go do it together. It helps keep everything fresh so people can know what’s going on when they come in. I’ve also read to the kids during a couple of story times since they do a regular story time reading one day on the first and third week of the month. I did a story time with Santa around Christmas before we had our program, and I’ve done a regular weekday reading since then.”
Reading to kids isn’t something she reserved just for the library. She also made sure to participate in Read Across America Week.
“During Read Across America, I read to two classes at Wayne Academy,” continued Lily Kate. “Then, I read to two classes at Quitman, and then I read to two classes at Shepherd Staff in Enterprise.”
She and another DYW from a neighboring county also helped participate at Standing Together Against Cancer.
“My best friend and I are both Distinguished Young Women, but she’s from Wayne County,” expressed Lily Kate. “We partnered together and did face painting at Standing Together Against Cancer. All the kids were asking for these super elaborate drawings, and we did the best we could to bring it to the table.”
Along with the general community service, she was responsible for creating a Be Your Best Self Project to help her community.
“My project is called Project Care Closet,” explained Lily Kate. “I went to the counselor at Quitman High School, Emma Kate Williams, and asked what they needed for their resource closet. She told me that girls there were in need of feminine hygiene products and deodorant. I then went to two women’s bible study groups, one group at First Baptist in Quitman and the Lydia class at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, and those groups got the items donated. I hosted a packing party at the school, and some sophomore girls came to help put care bags together. We packed around 300 bags that would be ready for girls who need them at their convenience. While we were putting them together, we talked about the pillars of DYW, and I talked with the sophomores about getting involved with DYW. We just talked about why it’s important to show up whenever people need you the most and times where you can be the light to others.”
She is really looking forward to competing in the program this week, and there are certain things that she is most excited about.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting the girls that are from all over Mississippi and forming those bonds with them that will last forever,” proclaimed Lily Kate. “I’m looking forward to meeting girls who go to different schools but are still under the same mindset of we are coming here to better ourselves and grow into the women that we want to be. I’m very excited to really push myself to the limits and truly see what I’m capable of and will experience. If you put your whole heart into something, then you can truly grow, no matter what the outcome is.”
Of course, she intends to continue to volunteer consistently and find ways to serve others even after the state program is completed.
“First and foremost, I want to continue my community service,” declared Lily Kate. “I want to be as active as I can in our community. If there is a position to be filled, then I would love to be the one to do it because I understand that no community event works without the help of volunteers and that if you are willing to volunteer your time, then you are building your community. Secondly, I would really push those sophomores and juniors to participate in the program. It’s important that this program continues to grow and be as strong as it is. I’ll definitely do another project, but it will probably start around Christmas time and into the second semester of the school year. I’d like to do the same type of project again. I just really want to stay active in the community and lay the footwork for the next DYW to understand how important of a role this is in our community.”
As she competes for the state title, she has the following advice for young women:
“In order to become your best self, you have to push yourself to the max,” advised Lily Kate. “If you allow yourself to be complacent and slip back, then you just have a stable version of yourself. In order to grow, you have to continually show up for the people around you and better yourself through whatever outlet it is.”
One thing is for sure: Lily Kate will do a fantastic job representing Clarke County at the state competition on the 16, 17, and 18.
