Gingrich heads to Distinguished Young Woman state competition

Katheran Gingrich, Lind-Ritzville's Distinguished Young Woman, is on her way to Pullman to compete in the state round of the national competition on Aug. 3. Gingrich, 17, is a junior at Lind-Ritzville High School.

According to the DYW website, "Each Distinguished Young Women program evaluates participants in the following categories: Scholastics (25%), Interview (25%), Talent (20%), Fitness (15%), and Self-Expression (15%). Local program winners, in states where locals are available, advance to the state level. All state winners participate in the National Finals which is held in Mobile, Alabama, the June after [they] graduate from high school."

Washington is one of the states that hosts local competitions. Girls in Washington can start competing at the local level during their junior year in high school.

Gingrich won the Lind-Ritzville local competition in March.

Scholarships can be won every step of the way, including at the local level. At the Lind-Ritzville event, over $4,000 was handed out. Every contestant won at least $100. Gingrich took the bulk of that amount, winning the $1,000 scholarship for finishing in first place, as well as winning scholarship funds for winning the interview, talent and scholastic awards. She also finished in second place for the fitness and self-expression award.

Those awards all add up to $2,100, and that's before she even goes to state, where she could even more money.

But for Gingrich, it's about more than just the prize money.

"It's one of those experiences that's once in a lifetime, really," said Gingrich. "It's your junior year of high school. There's nothing else around Ritzville that is anywhere near this caliber. It's such an amazing experience. The people you meet, the things you learn. I've learned so much about interviewing and how to poise yourself in an interview."

She says she has wanted to take part in DYW since she can remember.

"When I was little I wanted to," said Gingrich. "And then as the years kind of went on, it got to more of a reality, like, 'Am I going to be able to?' And then last year, I was asked to be a sophomore sister for one of the girls and I totally was in it for the count, like, I wanted to do it."

With that said, the money is still a big deal. All the money earned is to be spent on higher education. Gingrich has been applying for schools and plans to study political science.

"I actually just got accepted to Montana State University," Gingrich said. "I am also looking at Carroll College."

Gingrich said Carroll College would be her first choice, while MSU and Eastern Washington University are safety schools. She has also applied for Hillsdale College in Michigan.

Gingrich wants to study political science because she sees herself working in politics in the future.

"I love the idea of working with the state department and possibly with an embassy," Gingrich said. "Interviewing people who want to come into the country. Working with any type of immigration."

Gingrich also would like to become a political science professor at a university. She says she thinks more people from rural areas should get into politics and teaching.

"I am a very opinionated person," Gingrich said. "Politics has always come natural to me ... It is a community that needs to be fueled by more rural communities."

With all this focus on her future, Gingrich still has her senior year of high school in front of her. She's dedicated to finishing strong at her high school, and not focusing on college until the time comes.

"I don't do Running Start, and I believe full heartedly in staying with your school," Gingrich said. "The class I am in is a very tight knit class. All of us have grown up together. I believe staying in Lind-Ritzville High School will help get me through my senior year ... and then I will go to college."

Gingrich says some students chose to attend Running Start at EWU when the high school temporarily moved to Lind for a year due to construction. She chose not to.

"I felt it would show more character staying where I was and getting through it," Gingrich said.