Back in the 1980s, the Kootenai County Junior Miss scholarship program was organized by the Coeur d’Alene Jaycees and open to young women in the 11th grade at Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Lakeland high schools. Nearly three dozen participated each year to earn scholarships and the opportunity to represent Kootenai County at the state program.

In 1987, I lobbied the state officials to let us create separate programs for the three communities to increase the scholarship opportunities throughout the county. In 1988, the first Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Lakeland Junior Misses were selected, and the programs flourished. Many thousands of dollars of scholarships were awarded over the years.

In 2010, Coeur d’Alene’s Junior Miss Madison Leonard won the state title, and went on to be chosen America’s Junior Miss in Mobile, Ala.; the first ever from Idaho. That was a transition year so Madison’s title was Distinguished Young Woman of America.

Fast forward to 2019, and times were changing; volunteers moved on, and once again, the three communities began a consolidated program.

Distinguished Young Women of Kootenai County now includes participants from Coeur d’Alene, Lake City, Post Falls, Lakeland and Coeur d’Alene Charter high schools. In her fifth year chairing the committee is Michaela Telford, who represented Bonner’s Ferry as Jr. Miss in 2008. The volunteer committee includes Michelle Williams, Courtney Horsley and Tami Hanson.

The 2022 program is coming up on Saturday, April 30, 6:30 p.m. at Post Falls High School. Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door. Coeur d’Alene’s Mrs. Idaho America Griffin Turnbull and 2021 Distinguished Young Woman of Kootenai County Hailey Black will emcee.

“It has been extremely rewarding watching the girls come together from different schools, get to know each other and work toward a common goal,” Telford said.

For nearly a half century, this program, dedicated volunteers and generous scholarship sponsors have been making a positive impact in the lives of local high school girls. If you’d like more information or to make a donation to the scholarships, contact Michaela at postfalls@distinguishedyw.org.

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Happy birthday today to my mother Alice Rankin (91!), Hayden Hustoft, Rowan Bauman, Maritom Pickett, Sherry Mundt, Jerome Pollos, Scott Hough, Bill Hilbish, Sarah Gondo, Marcia Jimenez, Laura Warner, Sarah Myers, Blaise Koep and John M. Smith. Tomorrow Gunnar Amos, Brent Hostetler, Sandy Langston, Ali Taylor, Larry Bird and Janet Johnson will celebrate. On Friday Shirley Grimmett, Ron Strobel, Jeannette Peacock, Cliff Standridge, Mark Nelke, Jim Barrett, Curtis Gregory, Dave Nordby, George Greenfield and Corey Beaver mark the day of their birth. April 23 birthdays belong to Shelly Enderud, Blair Williams, Troy Speziale, Malika Mills, Kevin Bennett, Charlotte Brown, Tracey Singer, Kathleen Schmidt and Tracy Williams. On Sunday Jean Monaghan (90!), Mary Watson, Dan Taylor, Pascale Cafferty, Hayley Gabriel, Dea Lenz, Lori Rogers, Mark McWhorter, Chris M Willoughby Sr., Mike Regusa, Eric Haakenson, Jordan Ketzenberg and Tim Ketzenberg blow out the candles. Monday Matthew Wild, Cheryl Burchell, Lori Hess, Patricia Keller, Cathy Biby, Tom Hern, Krystal Arthur, Eric Haynes and Joey Grunden put on their party hats. On April 26 Helen Beckman (99!), Marilyn Desjarlais, Sandy Landberg, Patrick Lippert, Tim Skelton and Doneda Allen take another trip around the sun.

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Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email mainstreet@cdapress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kerrithoreson.