Mary Ellis Owens Named Distinguished Young Woman of Walker County

Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Images by Ryan McGill

Mary Ellis Owens, a senior at Sumiton Christian School, was recently named the 2025 Distinguished Young Woman of Walker County.

The Distinguished Young Women of Walker County program is part of a national scholarship initiative that rewards academic achievement, leadership, and talent in young women. Participants can earn scholarships for higher education, develop life skills through workshops, and build friendships with peers around the state. They are evaluated in scholastics, interviews, talent, self-expression, and fitness.

Despite initially knowing little about the Distinguished Young Women (DYW) program, Mary Ellis was drawn to its mission of empowering young women and providing unique opportunities for scholarships and skill development.

“What really drew me in was how empowering it is for women,” she explains. “There aren’t many programs like this that provide such opportunities specifically for women, especially scholarships.”

With hard work and dedication, Mary Ellis prepared for each segment of the program, often pushing herself beyond her comfort zone.

“I had to approach it with the mindset of ‘I want this for myself,’” she says. Balancing schoolwork, cheerleading, and preparation for the program required motivation and discipline. “Staying motivated was essential,” she reflects, “not just for the scholarship, but for what the program means to me.”

The opening number for all the participants was a robust fitness routine, a challenge Mary Ellis easily embraced given her background in competitive cheerleading. She was honored as the overall fitness category winner.

One of the standout moments of Mary Ellis’s DYW experience was her lively tap dance to “You Can’t Stop the Beat” from Hairspray, which allowed her to showcase her enthusiasm and love for performance. Her commitment to the routine earned her the overall talent award.

While performing came naturally, Mary Ellis also faced challenges that fostered personal growth. The interview segment, where she had to convey professionalism and confidence, was an especially daunting hurdle.

“Even though I’ve done interviews before, this was a different level of pressure,” she recalls. “Preparing to come across as professional and confident, while facing five judges all focused on me, was nerve-wracking.”

Despite initial nerves, Mary Ellis excelled in this area, winning the overall interview award, which carries the most weight in scoring. She also took home the overall self-expression award, which included an on-stage question.

Mary Ellis credits her success to Lynn Mosley, DYW Walker County program director, and the local DYW committee members, who provide a strong program for young women in Walker County.

Looking ahead, Mary Ellis plans to attend Samford University to study speech pathology, inspired by her desire to connect with others. She recognizes that the people skills she honed through DYW will be invaluable in her future career, saying, “Learning to connect with people on a deeper level will help me understand their needs better.”

As she prepares for the upcoming state competition, Mary Ellis is excited to meet fellow participants and perform with renewed energy.

Her message to other young women in Walker County and beyond is simple: work hard and stay true to yourself.

“You can’t achieve your dreams if you don’t put forth the effort,” she says.

The Walker Leader congratulates Mary Ellis on this milestone and eagerly looks forward to seeing her represent Walker County at the state level! WL

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