Tullahoma Senior Again Captures Distinguished Young Woman Of Tennessee

Sunday, July 13, 2014
Wendy King

Distinguished Young Woman of America 2014 Brooke Rucker of Cartersville with the newly named Distinguished Young Woman of Tennessee 2015 Ashley Stevens of Tullahoma, First Alternate Savannah Stone of Cleveland, Spirit Award recipient Chloe Lyle of Signal Mountain and Second Alternate Macy Marin of Cumberland Valley after the award ceremonies Saturday night at the Dixon Center on the Lee University campus in Cleveland. Miss Stevens is the second consecutive Tullahoma High School student to capture the state title as she succeeds 2014 winner Courtney Miller. She won a total of $5,400 in scholarships - $5,000 as the state winner and an additional $400 for the Talent and Scholastic Awards.

For the second year in a row and the fourth time in the last 12 years, a Tullahoma High School senior has been selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Tennessee.

After winning preliminary awards for Talent and Scholastics, Ashley Rebekah Stevens received the silver medallion from her predecessor and former classmate Courtney Miller at the conclusion of the state finals Saturday night at The Dixon Center on the Lee University campus in Cleveland.

Walker Valley’s Savannah Stone representing Cleveland was First Alternate and Second Alternate was Cumberland Valley’s Macy Marin who also attends Tullahoma High. Signal Mountain’s Chloe Lyle was voted as the recipient of The Spirit Award and a $500 scholarship by the contestants. The award was presented in memory of longtime program volunteer James Dunn of Cleveland who died last month and is is the father of state co-chair and former Tennessee Junior Miss Traci Dunn Fant.

Miss Stevens received $5400 in scholarships - $5000 for winning the state title and $200 each for her preliminary awards. The aspiring Broadway vocalist who wants to attend New York University sang the immensely popular “Let It Go” from the Disney film “Frozen” for her talent performance. She will travel to Mobile next June to represent the state at the national finals where she hopes to succeed the recently named 2014 winner Brooke Rucker of Cartersville. Miss Rucker was a special guest at the finale and she performed her talent routine tap dancing to the “Hot Honey Rag” from the musical “Chicago” before the near capacity audience.

The top three was identical to last year’s when Tullahoma and Cumberland Valley had a one-two finish and Cleveland’s entrant was second alternate.

Miss Stevens is the President of Tullahoma’s International Thespian Society troupe and The Aristocats Show Choir as well as the National Honor Society, the National English Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta.

A pair of Tullahoma state winners served as Co-Emcees – the Distinguished Young Woman of America and Tennessee 2011 Katye Brock and 2008 winner and Miss Tennessee 2012 Chandler Lawson.

Miss Stone, who recited an original poem which accompanied her artwork for her talent, won a $2400 in scholarships - $2,000 as the First Alternate and $400 for preliminary awards in Self-Expression and Interview.

Miss Marin received a $1000 scholarship as Second Alternate and $600 for preliminary wins in Fitness, Self-Expression and Interview.

Miss Lyle, who attends Signal Mountain High School, also won a $200 talent scholarship for her cello performance.

Rhea County’s Kadee Klimowicz and McMinn County’s Elizabeth Merriman joined Miss Marin as a Fitness Preliminary winner while East Brainerd’s Emily Wilt from Collegedale Academy received a Talent Award for her guitar and vocal performance to “Son of a Preacher Man”.

Distinguished Young Woman of Tennessee 2015 Awards

Distinguished Young Woman of Tennessee 2015 – Ashley Stevens, Tullahoma ($5,000)

First Alternate - Savannah Stone, Cleveland ($2,000)

Second Alternate – Macy Marin, Cumberland Valley ($1,000)

Spirit Award – Chloe Lyle, Signal Mountain ($500)

Fitness Awards ($200)

Kadee Klimowicz, Rhea County

Macy Marin, Cumberland Valley

Elizabeth Merriman, McMinn County

Self-Expression Awards ($200)

Macy Marin, Cumberland Valley

Lacy Slinker, Rutherford County