Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Kendyl Druffel
Kendyl Druffel takes the big stage of the 60th Distinguished Young Women National Finals representing the state of Washington. She later performed a new tap dance routine to the song “Real in Rio” from the movie “Rio.”
Reporter
Colton High School 2017 graduate Kendyl Druffel returned July 2 from the 60th Distinguished Young Women National Finals in Mobile, Ala.
Named Washington's Distinguished Young Woman last August, Druffel flew to Mobile June 18 to meet 50 representatives of the other states and the District of Columbia.
After training, rehearsing, outings and community service, they competed in the National Finals June 29-July 1 at Mobile Civic Center Theater.
Druffel is the daughter of Nick and Lonnie Druffel.
“It was an amazing opportunity to represent my state at nationals,” she said. “I came away with 50 new friends, which was my goal going down there.”
Since Druffel was a first-grader, she has attended the state DYW preparations in Pullman with her grandmother, Monica Druffel, who acted as a “Room Mom” for the program until 2015.
Distinguished Young Women was previously known as Junior Miss.
As the Washington state representative, Druffel received the two-week, all-expenses paid trip to nationals and a $3,000 scholarship.
In Mobile, she performed a new tap dance routine to the song “Real in Rio” from the movie “Rio.”
Competition over three nights included fitness and self-expression. Druffel's group was asked to consider what event from American history offers the greatest lesson.
The 51 representatives experienced varied days in Mobile. They went to Dauphin Island for Beach Day, visited Bellingrath Gardens and went to Mobile History Museum. They took a duck boat ride downtown and on “Be Your Best Self Day” Druffel visited United Cerebral Palsy of Mobile.
Trips to the Battleship USS Alabama and a ropes course at Camp Grace were canceled due to Tropical Storm Cindy.
On Saturday night, July 1, Skye Bork of the District of Columbia was named Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2017.
Druffel and the Oregon representative, Eva Busch, lived with a first-time DYW host family.
“They talk about the hospitality (of the south), it's definitely a true attribute,” Druffel said.
Back home now, she will work on the family farm through July and, for the first week of August, participate as an advisor/representative for the 2017 state competition in Pullman. Druffel will crown her successor Aug. 5 at Beasley Coliseum.
At the end of September, she will leave for college at Oregon State University in Corvallis to study business.
“It reminds me a lot of WSU, but it's not 12 miles away,” she said.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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