Ainsley Sievers named Garfield-Palouse DYW

PALOUSE - The Distinguished Young Woman of Garfield-Palouse was awarded to Ainsley Sievers of Palouse at the program's showcase event in Garfield on Sunday, March 26.

Sievers received the winning medallion and $2,000 in cash–tuition scholarships. As the first runner-up, Ella Cuellar received $1,500. The second runner-up, Emma Orfe, received $1,000, and the third runner-up Rayona Turner, received $500.

The participants won several scholarships for categories of the showcase they participated in.

For the Scholastic Category, Cuellar and Sievers both earned $600. Cuellar and Sievers also received $500 each for the interview category. In the talent category, Orfe and Sievers won $450 each, and for the fitness category, Cuellar and Orfe won $350 each. Sievers and Cuellar won $350 each for the self-expression category, and Sievers received the spirit award for $250.

"They work hard in school," local Program Co-Chair Nicole Flansburg said, adding that she is proud of them.

For Sievers, the best part of participating was being with her friends and learning new skills together. She explained that having her friends with her made it much less nerve-wracking to go up on stage and perform.

While she nervously awaited the judges' decision that night, Sievers took that as her most important lesson from the program.

"I learned that even if you're nervous about something, you can just go for it, and it will often turn out better than you thought it would," Sievers said.

Sievers added that through the experience, she learned new skills like performing on stage and speaking in front of people.

"Ainsley is a responsible young woman," Flansburg said, adding that Sievers deserved the spirit award.

"I think she brings out the best in people," Flansburg said, "I think she's going to do great at the next level."

Sievers will represent the Gar-Pal communities and young people as a role model by spreading the program's national outreach message, "Be Your Best Self."

The program has five principles, Be Healthy, Be Involved, Be Studious, Be Ambitious, and Be Responsible. These principles are to encourage self-esteem and excellence in young people.

Flansburg explained that the principles played a considerable role in the judge categories.

Sievers looks forward to participating in the Distinguished Young Women of Washington Showcase event in Pullman, Wash., in August.

"I am really excited to see where else the program can take me," Sievers said.

The Distinguished Young Woman of Washington winner will then attend the National Showcase event in Mobile, Alabama, during the last week of June 2024, for a chance to become the Distinguished Young Woman of America.

Flansburg explained that this was just Gar-Pal's fifth year rebooting the program, and they've been able to reward $31,550 in scholarships.

"This year was our biggest award money yet," she said.

Noting about 115 people were in attendance Sunday, including helpers and audience members, Flansburg stated that she thinks the judges had a tough job.

"We were excited we had so much money to award to the girls this year," she added.