Distinguished Young Women of Covington County

05/16/2026

The Distinguished Young Women of Covington County family mourns the passing of Cathy Powell, a former chairman whose leadership helped shape our program for so many years. Cathy was also a former Butler County Junior Miss, giving her a special understanding of exactly what our participants were going through. She used that and all of her many talents to encourage, guide, and support countless young women through the years.
We are especially holding close her daughters, Lauren Powell Harris, Covington County Junior Miss 2010, and Allyn Powell Walters, Covington County Junior Miss 2008. Long before they became “has beens,” they were examples of the grace, character, and spirit their mother modeled so well.
Please join us in praying for the Powell family and celebrating a life that meant so much to the DYW community and to all of Covington County.

05/11/2026

Attention Rising Juniors: Now recruiting Little Sisters for the 2027 program! This is a great opportunity to learn about the program while supporting the participants (your friends) as they participate! Deadline to sign up is June 1, 2026.

Little Sisters is for all rising junior girls in Covington County (Class of 2028) YOU MUST BE AVAILABLE IN THE EVENINGS OF THE WEEK OF JULY 11-18 (Afternoons of July 11 & 12 and Evening July 13-18) Information will be sent out via GroupMe app. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THIS APP AND YOUR NOTIFICATION...

05/07/2026

Show your support in style with our Distinguished Young Women of Alabama short sleeve T-shirt, featured on a premium Comfort Colors tee in a rich violet hue. Designed for both comfort and purpose, this shirt offers that lived-in, ultra-soft feel you love with a relaxed fit that’s perfect for every...

04/30/2026

Our Nationals Fundraiser is LIVE! The proceeds from this fundraiser will help with some of the expenses for travel to Nationals. Please check it out. You may purchase at the link below.

We can’t wait to show our support for Mia at Nationals!!!

Show your support in style with our Distinguished Young Women of Alabama short sleeve T-shirt, featured on a premium Comfort Colors tee in a rich violet hue. Designed for both comfort and purpose, this shirt offers that lived-in, ultra-soft feel you love with a relaxed fit that’s perfect for every...

04/21/2026

04/20/2026

We had a great time at Junior Jumpstart today! We are looking forward to a great program! A huge thanks to Bluebird for allowing us to gather today! There is still time to sign up to participate in our program! Link is in our bio.

04/08/2026

We would love for you to join us!

03/11/2026

Cathy Powell is Junior Miss/DYW royalty in our eyes. She is a former Butler County Junior Miss and was named 1st runner-up to Alabama’s Junior Miss. Both of her daughters later held the title of Covington County Junior Miss. Cathy also served on our board and faithfully led as chairman for many years. The dedication she and her husband, Roger, have shown to this program has left a lasting legacy.

Mrs. Cathy is also a beloved and well-known member of our community. She spent many years teaching art at AES and throughout the community, inspiring and impacting countless students along the way.

Last year, Mrs. Cathy was diagnosed with ALS. Recently, a special “book club” began so that those who love her can stop by, sit together, and share a story.

Today Mia became the newest member of Cathy’s book club. Mia brought a piece of artwork she created years ago in Mrs. Powell’s elementary art class, and it just so happened to match the cover of the book they were reading. We are forever thankful for the Powells, and we love that Mia had the opportunity to visit with them today.

02/18/2026

Thank you to the City of Andalusia for recognizing Mia with a resolution celebrating her title as Alabama’s Distinguished Young Woman of 2026. We are so grateful for a community that supports and celebrates our young leaders!

02/06/2026

Congratulations to Mia for winning Andalusia Chamber of Commerce Student of the Year ❤️ She was chosen out of several outstanding students. We are so proud of her accomplishments this year!

02/05/2026

1984 Alabama Junior Miss Ginger Nettles Meets 2026 Alabama Distinguished Young Woman Mia Baumgartner!

Mia Baumgartner was so thrilled to meet Ginger Nettles Taylor since they have something very special in common. Ginger won Covington County Junior Miss and went on to be named Alabama Junior Miss during her senior year, graduating from Andalusia High School in 1984. Since then, the Junior Miss program has evolved into what is now Distinguished Young Woman (DYW). Mia followed a similar path, winning Covington County DYW and most recently being named Alabama DYW.

The two ladies enjoyed discussing the evolution of the program, with Ginger sharing lots of excellent advice with Mia. They also had fun looking through the 1985 Junior Miss program, featuring Ginger on the cover!