MATTAWA - Mattawa Distinguished Young Woman Bianca Ramirez did not win at the state competition in Pullman recently, but she is happy to have been there.

"It was an incredible experience that will be an unforgettable memory which I will always carry with me," she said upon her return.

"It was an honor to have met Samantha Eilers of Royal City, Allison Hyer of Moses Lake, Emily Risenmay of Othello and all the wonderful girls in the Distinguished Young Woman program," she added.

Ramirez and the area DYW she mentioned competed for the state DYW title on Aug. 2 at Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum. The winner was the Pullman DYW, but Ramirez was proud to represent her little town.

The contestants shared many great and wonderful talents, Ramirez said. They ranged from clogging to singing and dancing to moving motivational speeches.

"This program has really taught me great things, especially to overcome my shyness and to really step out of my comfort zone," she said. "It has taught all of us to be more confident in everything we do. It allowed us to meet new people and learn about their lives."

Aug. 2 was a busy day for all of the DYW. They experienced many emotions, nerves and more nerves, but they managed to work their way through the night.

"Every time I stepped onto that stage with hundreds of eyes watching it was really nerve wracking," Ramirez said. "But once on that stage, I realized it wasn't just Bianca Ramirez I was representing but the entire town of Mattawa, where I was born and raised."