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Ever since local resident Claire Martin’s statewide victory in 2022, recognition of the Distinguished Young Women program has grown steadily in Clark County. 

2025’s winner has been announced. 

Ella Howton, an incoming senior at George Rogers Clark High School, was recently named Clark County’s latest Distinguished Young Woman following competition with several local nominees. 

“My initial thought was, ‘Am I really the distinguished young woman of Clark County?’ Once that set in…I was just so thankful and honored,” Howton said. “Beyond being so, so grateful, it was definitely surreal at first just being surrounded by all of these talented young women.” 

According to its official website at https://www.distinguishedyw.org, the Distinguished Young Women (DYW) program seeks to “empower young women to develop their full, individual potential by providing scholarships, personal development opportunities and a positive peer network.” 

In competing to be Clark County’s DYW, Howton was tasked with performing in five categories: scholastics, interview, talent, fitness, and self-expression. 

The scholastics and interview portions took place prior to the live show, where – in self-expression – contestants were asked to respond to the prompt, “I Have a Dream”, referencing the famous speech by late civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Before ending with fitness, contestants took part in a talent portion. 

For Howton, this meant singing “Orange Colored Sky” by Nat King Cole. 

“We made it very musical theatre, because that’s kind of my specialty,” she said. “It was very jazzy, very performative, and I just love that song so much.”

As luck would have it, Howton is not the only member of the family familiar with the competition. 

In the days when it was called America’ Junior Miss, her mother competed as well. 

“She, ever since I was little, has introduced me into the world of DYW…I am forever grateful for that” she said. “As I grew up and learned more and more what it was, I was like…’I have to do this!’”. 

Howton, a former winner of the Amazing Shake Competition who has previously sung at the Kentucky State Fair also, looks forward to representing Clark County in the future. 

“I want to make Clark County proud,” she said. “That’s going to take a lot of work, but I am so excited to be able to put in that work and [be] given an opportunity.”

She also hopes such accomplishments can provide a message for others. 

“You can do whatever you put your mind to,” Howton added. “I think it’s a great message to girls everywhere that we can do it, and we have all the tools we need to succeed.” 

Howton will compete in state competition at the Singletary Center for the Arts in Lexington from January 8th through 10th.