Lauren Ostrom is still shocked. On April 21, the Blackhawk High School junior became the Beaver County Distinguished Young Woman of 2019.
Twenty-three other area high school juniors, all brimming with talents and all with promising futures, vied for the title before a panel of judges and an audience packed with family and friends at Beaver Area High School auditorium.
All watched intently as the judges assessed the 24 finalists in five categories: academic achievement, fitness, presentation, interview and performing arts. Those chosen would garner cash scholarships worth more than $13,000 in the 57th annual scholarship program sponsored by the Beaver Area Jaycees.
The winner would receive a $4,650 cash scholarship, and on July 27 will represent Beaver County at The Pennsylvania Distinguished Young Women Program in New Castle.
When the time came Saturday night, emcee Bob Barrickman, dutifully announced the judges’ decisions. Ostrom received a $500 scholarship for fitness. He named more winners, category by category.
When that big moment came, Barrickman said Lauren Ostrom’s name.
“I was so shocked,” Ostrom said Monday afternoon. “All of the other 23 finalists deserved it as much as me.”
The 17-year-old had attended past pageants, watching winning performances and lots of young girls dancing. For 14 years, she’s studied dance with Paula Scriva at Scriva’s studio in Rochester. For her talent, Ostrom performed a lyrical dance to “I Dreamed a Dream” from the film version of the musical “Les Miserables.” Student and teacher selected and updated the lyrical dance Ostrom has previously performed.
The music and lyrics emote the sadness of a single mother who longed to give her daughter the world, but couldn’t, the new Distinguished Young Woman said. “Heartfelt” best describes it, she added.
Saturday evening’s adrenaline rush kept Ostrom awake and talking to her parents, David and Michelle Ostrom of Chippewa Township and friends until 2:30 a.m. Sunday. She spent Sunday making homemade ravioli with her grandfather Anthony Florie of Koppel for the family’s late Easter dinner.
On Monday morning Ostrom went to school. At Blackhawk, the high honor student is editor of the school newspaper, junior class business manager and student representative to the district’s school board. She’s a member of the National Honor Society, student council and the Key, PRIDE Partners and English clubs.
Ostrom wants to be a writer and study English literature, or perhaps a journalist, hopefully at a college or university in a city north of home. Dance will likely be a hobby, she said.
After school on Monday, Ostrom said the shock hadn’t yet subsided nor had the amazement.
“I never thought I’d be one of them,” said the young girl who sat in the audience and on stage Saturday became the Beaver County Distinguished Young Woman of 2019.