Eight Greensboro families are having extra feet under their dinner tables this week. One of these families also will have 15 extra heads sleeping under its roof — at least for one night.
The full group of 15 contestants arrived in Greensboro Friday for the 2013 North Carolina Distinguished Young Woman Program, including three young women representing local programs: Morgan Harrison, Lenoir County 2013 Distinguished Young Woman; Sarah Albritton, Kinston-Greene County 2013 Distinguished Young Woman; and Layne Jenkins, Jones-Onslow County 2013 Distinguished Young Woman.
From across the state, the 15 arrived in the host city Friday, knowing that the week ahead would offer little down time to chill and hang out.
They’re taking care of that today with an afternoon visit to the Ronald McDonald House in Winston-Salem — loaded with teddy bears and homemade cookies — and an evening Super Bowl Party and sleepover at the home of Hal and Sherry Greeson, host family for Harrison and two other contestants, Meredith Davis of Rocky Mount and Brianna Birchett of Buncombe County. The Greeson basement will become one huge bedroom for the 15 females.
Come Monday, the schedule will shift into high gear with little let-up until the finals are over Saturday night and North Carolina’s 2013 Distinguished Young Woman is announced.
This year’s state production is honoring North Carolina Distinguished Young Woman 2012 Christina Maxwell of Fletcher, who also won the national program in June in Mobile, Ala.
Maxwell is the program’s second winner from North Carolina (Rachael Delaney, Kinston’s Junior Miss 2011 was the first) and the third young woman to be named the Distinguished Young Woman of America following the scholarship program’s name change from America’s Junior Miss in 2010.
The production Friday and Saturday nights will tip its hat to Broadway, with an “Opening Night” theme to honor Maxwell’s theatrical aspirations. The outgoing America’s and North Carolina Distinguished Young Woman 2012 is a musical theater major at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Divided into two groups, the Leading Ladies (Group A) and the Broadway Babes (Group B) will spend the next few days rehearsing the “Opening Night” performance for Friday and Saturday nights and Friday’s closing production, borrowing songs and moves from such Broadway plays as “Wicked,” “Stomp” and “Fame.” They will fine tune the fitness routine and learn the choreography for the Self Expression competition, as well as prepare for Thursday’s individual interviews with the judges.
Tuesday will offer a break from rehearsals as the contestants visit classrooms at Bessemer Elementary School to share the signature Be Your Best Self program, emphasizing the importance of self esteem and self confidence.
A work weekend in November provided a preview of what this week would entail, from the agony of unending schedules to the joy of forging new friendships.
During their last week before leaving Friday for Greensboro, Harrison, Albritton and Jenkins scratched similar preparatory items off their lists — planning for handling a missed week of school; rehearsing fitness and talent routines; organizing and packing; squeezing in as much sleep as possible; soaking in time with family and friends.
The three home hopefuls also expressed similar goals for the week ahead — to relax and enjoy the opportunities that await, and come away with lifelong friendships.
“My sisters just want me to have fun, not stress about if I trip or fall on stage,” said Harrison, whose sisters Alex and Casey also participated in the program. “How I handle myself and the people I meet are going to be more important 10 years from now than what I do on stage.”
Jenkins also looks forward to the chance to build friendships. “I hang out with guys all the time but (after work weekend) I was thinking, ‘This is what I have missed.’ I’m going to come away from this week with some friendships I’m never going to forget or be able to break.”
She also thinks that representing Jones-Onslow outside her “comfort zone” will be an empowering experience.
“The good thing about Distinguished Young Woman is that they focus so much on a girl’s character that when a girl moves up to another level, you know they are … in their heart … a really good girl,” said Albritton. “This is the most genuine group of girls I’ve ever come in contact with.”
Breakout 1
Sarah Albritton
Kinston-Greene County 2013 Distinguished Young Woman
Birthday: Sept. 20, 1994
Parents: Anne and David Albritton of Kinston
Siblings: Matt, 26; Kevin, 23, and sister-in-law Jentry; and Amy, 20
Church: Grace Fellowship
School: Arendell Parrott Academy
College preference: Meredith College
Career goal: High school English teacher
Contestant: No. 5, Group A
Thursday: Interview
Friday: Fitness, Self Expression competition
Saturday: Talent competition
Talent: Lyrical dance to ‘Dream’ by Priscilla Ahn
Host family: Greg and Peggy Brown, 3308 Wedgewood Place, Greensboro, NC 27403
Roommate: Eboni Wiley, Rockingham County Distinguished Young Woman
Breakout 2
Morgan Harrison
Lenoir County 2013 Distinguished Young Woman
Birthday: May 30, 1995
Parents: Ted and Sheila Harrison of La Grange
Siblings: Alex H. Liles, 26; Avery H. Mills, 24; Casey, 22; Travis, 20; Joseph, 15;
Church: La Grange First Free Will Baptist
School: North Lenoir High School
College preference: N.C. State University
Career goal: Architecture or Math
Contestant: No. 11, Group B
Thursday: Interview
Friday: Talent competition
Saturday: Fitness, Self Expression competition
Talent: Tap dance to ‘The 5th’ by David Garrett
Host family: Hal and Sherry Greeson, 301 Frederick Road, Greensboro, NC 27455
Roommates: Meredith Davis, Rocky Mount Distinguished Young Woman; Brianna Birchett, Buncombe County Distinguished Young Woman
Breakout 3
Layne Jenkins
Jones-Onslow County 2013 Distinguished Young Woman
Birthday: Aug, 28, 1995
Parents: George Michael Jenkins and Bryson Booth Jenkins of Trenton
Siblings: Peyton, 24; Meredith, 21
Church: First Presbyterian Church, New Bern
School: The Epiphany School of Global Studies, New Bern
College preference: Meredith College
Career goal: Interior design; dance education
Contestant: No. 12, Group B
Thursday: Interview
Friday: Talent competition
Saturday: Fitness, Self Expression competition
Talent: Vocal of ‘I Enjoy Being a Girl’
Host family: Kevin and Shannon Roley, 4204 Tallwood Drive, Greensboro, NC 27410
Roommate: Ashton Mizell, Johnston County Distinguished Young Woman
Breakout 4
N.C. Distinguished Young Woman 2013 Finals
7 p.m. Feb. 8, 9
War Memorial Auditorium
Greensboro Coliseum Complex, 1921 W. Lee St., Greensboro
Tickets, $35 per night at door
During week, send notes of encouragement to Harrison, Albritton and Jenkins in care of their host families
Nancy S. Saunders can be reached at 252-559-1079 or Nancy.Saunders@Kinston.com.