This coming Saturday night the current Distinguished Young Woman of Malad 2025, Madelyn Shaw, will transfer the title to the one of the six amazing girls from the DYW class of 2026. Madelyn earned the title in the 2025 class’s program last May. She worked very hard over four months to master the fitness routine, interviewing and self-expression skills, and the piano piece for her talent. She also participated in the Be Your Best Self program to improve herself in being healthy, ambitious, involved, responsible, and studious. She grew closer with all the amazing participants who did the program with her and learned to be more confident in herself. 

After participating in the local program, she prepared for the State competition held the first weekend in October 2024.   She spent that week learning new opening and fitness routines, honing her piano solo talent and interviewing skills, and making many new friends from the other amazing young women she met that week.  She also learned new skills from the numerous workshops during the week leading up to the competition night.  She was the Overall Scholastic Winner at the state competition and was chosen as one of the Top Ten Finalists.  She also prepared and submitted a video detailing how she feels she is her best self by practicing consistent daily habits that work toward a goal and was chosen as one of the Be Your Best Self winners at State.  

Madelyn has grown in so many areas throughout both programs and has made some truly amazing friends.  She would like to thank the local DYW committee chairman, Nikki Schwartz and Production Chairman, Callie Werk, for all the hard work they put in to produce the local program and the many other local committee members who work behind the scenes to make the local Malad program happen. She would also like to thank her family, friends, and wonderful hostess Kami Willie for supporting her through every step of the program. Madelyn wants to wish good luck to the class of 2026 this Friday and Saturday as they compete to become the Distinguished Young Woman of Malad for 2026. They have worked just as hard as she did during her program and have the talent and skill to show for it. 

Please come out and support them on Friday, April 25th at 7:00pm for the dress rehearsal performance and Saturday April 26th at 7:00pm for the final performance. Both performances will be held at the Marsh Valley Performing Arts Building, just off of I-15 north of Arimo, next to Marsh Valley High School.