Poland school senior named 2023’s Distinguished Young Woman of Maine

Emma Moreau Submitted photo

Emma Moreau has been named this year’s Distinguished Young Woman of Maine 2023. The DYW showcase was held Jan. 6 at the L/A Community Little Theater in Auburn.

Moreau is a senior at Poland Regional High School, where she is the vice president of her class, a National Honor Society member and the treasurer of the Student Council.

She is the daughter of Lori Moreau and Denis Moreau.

Moreau is an active member of the jazz band, chamber choir, dance as well as the drama club. Moreau impressed the panel of judges with her vocal performance of “Rise up” by Andra Day, according to a news release from Laurie Cote with the Distinguished Young Women Program.

Moreau was awarded a $1,000 cash scholarship along with access to a wide variety of college granted scholarships from all over the United States. She also received an all-expense-paid trip to Mobile, Alabama, where she will represent Maine at the Distinguished Young Women of America finals on June 24.

Since 1958, the Distinguished Young Women Program, formerly known as America’s Junior Miss, has awarded $118 million in cash scholarships at the local, state, and national levels.

DYW participants are judged in five categories of achievement. Scholastics is worth 25 percent, Private Interview 25 percent, Talent 20 percent, Fitness 15 percent, and Self Expression 10 percent. The evaluation process is the same at all levels of the competition from local to state to nationals. It is this program’s goal to honor young women who excel in these areas and to encourage continuing roles of leadership in their community and professional life, thereby providing positive role models for today’s society.

To obtain more information or to participate in next year’s program, visit distinguishedyw.org. For up-to-date information, join the Distinguished Young Women of Maine page on Facebook.