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'A Night at the Oscars' a shining celebration |
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May 1, 2017 |
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| Our thanks to
Picturesque Photography |
| The 2017 Bonners Ferry
Distinguished Young Women contestants in
all their splendor. |
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It was a night of 20 young women, 20 incredible
talents all on a single stage. There was pomp,
there were tears. There was music, comedy, dance
and of course, acting. It was after all, A Night
at the Oscars Saturday night in Bonners Ferry,
the night of the 2016-17 Distinguished Young
Women Program, a night filled with glamour and emotion.
Before the final curtain went down, $15,350 in
scholarships were awarded and 2016 Distinguished
Young Woman Brittany Spangler graciously passed
her crown to Bonners Ferry's 2017 Distinguished
Young Woman, Hannah Sims.
While only one "winner" could be chosen in the
51st Bonners Ferry Junior Miss/Distinguished
Young Woman gala, a most daunting task for the
judges, not a girl who took part walked away
empty-handed, as each; (top photo, l-r) Rayan
Naylor, Jennica Branson, Bailey Jenkins,
Courteney Facha, Ashlyn Hittle, Victoria Smith,
Haley Wenk, Hannah Sims, Alayna Youngwirth,
Alexandra Hough, Kaley Kramer, Kianna Higgins,
Maya Roberts, Katie Onstott, Ada Bonnell,
Miranda Wenk, Jaeda Schneurle, Michaela Worley,
Sierra Brown and Ashlynn Rushing, along with
Hannah, each gained an experience they will
cherish and be enriched by throughout their
lives.
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"This year's group of young ladies were truly
amazing," said organizer Andrakay Pluid,
"talented, kind, intelligent, spirited,
community oriented and ambitious. Hannah is
truly a representative from a group of winners,
although definitely an outstanding
representative.
"I am proud of each and every participant and I
am excited to see what they go on to accomplish
in their future. I would like to extend another
thank you to the community who make this
possible as well as the committee, who work so
tirelessly to put on a great program."
Mistress of Ceremonies Kris Crocker, better
known to most as the chief meteorologist on KXLY
Channel 4, paid her third official visit to
Bonners Ferry to emcee our Distinguished Young
Woman program, was awarded an honorary "Oscar"
for her gracious service to the community, and
it by all appearances, it looked as if she was
having just as much fun as the contestants!
The evening began in a darkened auditorium, the
Star Wars theme rising in volume as the
contestants, brandishing light sabers as they
danced down the aisle through the audience,
making their way to the stage.
Throughout the evening, the young women
entertained to the familiar and much-loved music
of Hollywood; "Rocky," "Jaws," "Indiana Jones,"
"E.T." and "Back to the Future," just to name a
few.
In every DYW program, and through all the
decades the program was known as Junior Miss, it
seems there is always a moment that, more than
any other, touches the hearts of those who both
watch at take part, and one such moment came
when Bailey Jenkins performed her original
monologue during the talent portion of the
program, paying tribute to her father, Ryan, and
giving an account of his military service to our
nation.
"I wasn't expecting that," an emotional Kris
Crocker said, her voice breaking. She asked
Bailey's dad to stand, and he did, to a strong
round of applause from the audience.
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As mentioned earlier, with the exception of the
contestants themselves, perhaps no one involved
had a more difficult job than this year's
judges; longtime educator Steve Casey, Boise,
Coeur d'Alene High School science teacher and
2005 Junior Miss contestant Erika Lewis, Shelley
Olson, Lewiston, who 40 years ago this year
became Idaho's Junior Miss from St. Maries,
Julie Turley, Spirit Lake, who chaired the
Timberlake Distinguished Young Women program
from 2008 to 2012, and Kim Washko, Hayden, a
professional artist who has been involved in the
DYW program at both the local and state level
for more than a decade.
While they sat to their deliberations, several
of the 2016 DYW contestants; Alaina White,
Brittany Spangler, Cameron Haworth, Jill
Alexander, Madalynn Kelly, Mary Fioravanti,
Serenity Winey, Rachel Young and Taja Hoban, now
known as the Forget-Me-Nots, kept the audience
entertained as this year's contestants stayed
backstage, reliving what theey had just
accomplished, congratulating one another,
hugging one another at the culmination of a
process that has forged life-long friendships
and memories.
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| Hannah Sims |
You already know that Hannah received the
judge's nod to become Bonners Ferry's 2017
Distinguished Young Woman. Her court is
comprised of first runner up Haley Wenk, second
runner up Ashlynn Rushing, third runner up
Kianna Higgins and fourth runner up Alexandra
Hough.
Kaylee Kramer won the interview, Kianna Higgins
the talent, Haley Wenk the fitness and Hannah
Sims the self expression portions of the
program. Scholastic awards went to Rayan Naylor,
Hannah Sims and Ada Bonnell, Be Your Best Self
Awards were presented to Kaylee Kramer and
Victoria Smith and the Spirit of DYW award went
to Haley Wenk.
Thanks go out to the many local businesses who
contributed to the gifts handed out to this
year's contestants; Kootenai River Spa, Mica
Jae's Photography, the Hair Connection, Alpine
Linen, Homestead Coffee, Triple Play, Mandy's
Gift Gallery, Katie Blumenauer Photography,
Larson's, the Rusty Moose, Kootenai River
Brewing Company, Twin Rivers Canyon Resort,
Safeway, Love Light Creamery & Grille, Bamboo
Room Day Spa, Mojo's Coffee, the Badger Den
Cafe, Scentsy/Younique by Shauna, Far North
Outfitters, Under the Sun, Northern Air, Oo La
La Skin & Lash Boutique, Soulshine, Keep in
Touch Yoga, Pluid & Sons Logging, Bread Basket
Bakery, Subway, Mane Street Hair Design, Keep in
Touch Reflexology, Goat Mountain Pizzeria, Liz
Wood/Celebrating Home, Misty Mountain Espresso,
T&T Farms and the Iverson Family, Keep in Touch
Massage, Mugsy's and Carter Country Farm and
Feed.
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Thanks, too to contributors P1FCU, Pace-Kerby &
Company, Photos Plus, Pizza Factory, Pluid Law
LLC, Rawlings Community Counseling, Regehr
Logging, Rex and Shelly Hoisington, Riverside
Auto Center, Roadway Accounting, Rod and Jeannie
Robinson, Rod Benders Car Club, Ron and Evelyn
Smith, Ron and Summer MacDonald, Ruth Ann
Wilson, Sater's Auction Service, Schrom
Therapeutic Home Care for Boys, Schweitzer
Mountain Resort, Selkirk Kennels, Shelman
Realty, Shutes Farms, South Hill Meat Lockers,
Stephanie Chae Massage, Stephen Hawkes Piano
Tuning, Stockton Business Services, Sugar Plum
Floral & Greenhouse, Sukenik Family, Summit
Reach Tree Farm/Dave and Laura Anderson, Svec
Chiropractic, Tamie Bremer, Taylor & Sons
Chevrolet, Teresa's Family Salon, The Dance
Studio, Thick 'n' Thin Beams and Flooring, This
Old Trunk, Three Mile Corner, TransCanada, Trees
R Us/Tas and Sheila Hansen, Universal Well
Drilling, Vinyl Expressions, White Mountain
Chain, Wilson Law Firm, Wink Inc., Wood's
Crushing & Hauling, Woody's Gun & Pawn and
Youngwirth, Davis & Associates.
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Ada Bonnell, sponsored by Echo
Springs Transitional School, performed a
piano recital. |
| Jennica Branson, sponsored by
the Moyie Shrine Club, performed a
lyrical dance. |
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Sierra Brown was sponsored by
the Knights of Pythias, and she
performed a lyrical dance. |
| Kianna Higgins, sponsored by
Beta Sigma Phi, performed a modern jazz
dance. |
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Courteney Facha, who
was sponsored by the Bonners Ferry
Rotary Club, performed a lyrical dance. |
| Ashlynn Hittle, sponsored by
Boundary County Middle School
Leadership, performed an original
monologue. |
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Alexandra Hough, sponsored by
the Bonners Ferry Rod Benders Car Club,
performed a lyrical dance. |
| Haley Wenk, sponsored by the
Bonners Ferry Eagles Aerie, performed a
comedic skit. |
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Bailey Jenkins, sponsored by
Alta Forest Products, awed the crowed
with an original monologue about her
father. |
| Kaley Kramer, sponsored by the
Masonic Organizations, sang "Castle on a
Cloud." |
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Rayan Naylor, sponsored by the
Bonners Ferry Chamber of Commerce, sang
"Journey to the Past." |
| Miranda Wenk, sponsored by the
Knights of Columbus, performed a dance
medley. |
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Katie Onstott, sponsored by Girl
Scout Brownie Troop 2171, performed an
original monologue. |
| Victoria Smith, sponsored by
Idaho Women in Timber, dressed up to
perform her comedic monologue! |
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Maya Roberts, sponsored by
Bonners Ferry Masonic Lodge 43,
performed an original monologue.
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| Ashlynn Rushing, sponsored by
Bonners Ferry Masonic Lodge 43, didn't
take long at all to create a speed
painting. |
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Hannah Sims, sponsored by
Chapter AP, P.E.O., performed a piano
solo. |
| Alayna Youngwirth, sponsored by
Girl Scout Cadette Troop 3801, performed
an original monologue. |
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Michaela Worley, sponsored by
American Legion Post 55, presented her
monologue using American Sign Language. |
| Jaeda Schnuerle, sponsored by
American Legion Auxiliary Post 55,
performed a lyrical dance. |
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Bonners Ferry 2017-18
Distinguished Young Woman Hannah Sims,
the daughter of Dave and Stephanie Sims,
will see an already busy schedule of
activities become even more busy as she
assumes the many responsibilities that
come with the honor. |
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