The 2026 Distinguished Young Woman of Wasco County is Alexis Westfall. Participants this year are, from left to right, Caspian Ortega, Alexis Westfall, Kim Morales Cortes, Tygh Timinsky, 2025 winner Sophia Hernandez, Abril Rincon, Sofia Rogers, and Jayden Hansen.
Some former winners also participated. From left to right, 2018 Jessika Nañez, 1987 Anna Marie Petroff, 1997 Lindy (Anderson) Macnab, 2025 Sophia Hernandez, 2026 Alexis Westfall, 2010 Jacque (Underhill) Carter, 1982 Anna (Durand) Bond, 1978 Shawn (Bull) Stroud, 2017 Lauryn (Despain) Kirokiro.
The 2026 Distinguished Young Woman of Wasco County is Alexis Westfall. Participants this year are, from left to right, Caspian Ortega, Alexis Westfall, Kim Morales Cortes, Tygh Timinsky, 2025 winner Sophia Hernandez, Abril Rincon, Sofia Rogers, and Jayden Hansen.
WASCO COUNTY — The Distinguished Young Women (DYW) of Wasco County Scholarship Program was held April 12. This is the 50th anniversary for the local program, a milestone marked serendipitously by this year’s fundraising being the most successful to date, with $24,000 in scholarships awarded thanks to support from the community.
2026 Distinguished Young Woman of Wasco County, Alexis Westfall.
Contributed photo
This year, seven high school juniors — Kim Morales Cortes, Jayden Hansen, Alexis Westfall, Caspian Ortega, Abril Rincon, Tygh Timinsky, and Sofia Rogers — participated, and were judged on an interview, scholastic achievements, talent, fitness, and self-expression. The goal of DYW is to “encourage participants to reach their full individual potential.”
These contestants aimed to exemplify the qualities DYW strives to foster, summed up in their Be Your Best Self (BYBS) Program, which includes “Be healthy (both physically and mentally), be involved, be studious, be ambitious, be responsible.”
The participants were out in the community to fundraise for the scholarships, including volunteering at the Columbia Gorge Food Bank, and a sponsorship drive, donut sales and a trip raffle.
The winners of this year’s scholarships were Westfall, who was “2026 Distinguished Young Woman of Wasco County,” and “Scholastics winner,” Timinsky, who received “First Alternate.”
Rogers won “Finalist” and “Be Your Best Self Essay,” and Hansen the “Spirit Award.”
2026 Award Winners Tygh Timinsky, Alexis Westfall, Sofia Rogers, and Jayden Hansen.
Contributed photo
Westfall, from Dufur, will be representing Wasco County in Salem in August to compete for another scholarship and the state title.
Over the years, 799 junior girls in Wasco County participated in DYW, and the program has awarded $425,00 in cash scholarships for college. In that time, five winners from Wasco County have gone on to win the State program: Sheri (Ashmore) McVay (1980), Erin Sutherland (1992), Jacque (Underhill) Carter (2010), Jessika Nañez (2018), and Zora Richardson (2022). Carter will be taking over as chair next year from Tiffany Prince, who has chaired for the last five years.
Some former winners also participated. From left to right, 2018 Jessika Nañez, 1987 Anna Marie Petroff, 1997 Lindy (Anderson) Macnab, 2025 Sophia Hernandez, 2026 Alexis Westfall, 2010 Jacque (Underhill) Carter, 1982 Anna (Durand) Bond, 1978 Shawn (Bull) Stroud, 2017 Lauryn (Despain) Kirokiro.
Contributed photo
For junior girls in the class of 2027 interested in participating, sign-ups are in the fall, and DYW can be followed on social media at Distinguished Young Women of Wasco County for more dates and details.
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