Kristal Ford will hand her title over to a new Distinguished Young Woman on Saturday night, April 23, at the end of a program where seven young women will compete in fitness, self expression, and talent. Earlier in the day they will have completed a ten minute interview with the panel of five judges, who are also the program judges. Prior to the program, their scholastic abilities were judged by a specialist chosen for their expertise in that area. 

Participants in this year's program are Katie Marble, Becca Ward, Kaleigh Worrell, Rayleigh Barnes, Raegan Smith, Alexis Shaw, and Journie Tovey. 

The theme for this year's program is "Shine." Chairman Paula Davis and Production Chairman Hailey Sweeten have been working with the girls, along with their hostesses and other committee members to make this program a chance for the girls to truly shine. Judges Chairman Pamela Mills and Interview Chairman Shawna Daniels have been hosting an interview workshop and mock interviews for the girls to increase their knowledge of interview skills and public speaking. 

Last year, Malad did not have a Distinguished Young Woman Program. There are other counties throughout the state of Idaho that don't have programs either from year to year. There are still opportunities for the young women in these counties to compete for a title and be able to represent their county. Kristal was able to compete in the At-Large Program last year in Pocatello, ID. It was there she was able to compete in all five areas of the Distinguished Young Women Program. Because of Kristal's performance and reaching a set point goal, she was chosen as Distinguished Young Woman of Malad 2022. 

As Kristal reflects on her experience as Malad's representative, she said that it has been an amazing opportunity for her and even an honor. She looks forward to watching the next young woman represent Malad and being able to hand over the title on Saturday night. Kristal had a fabulous experience at the state program which she attended last fall. At the state program, winners from around the state gather together for a one week intensive program with program nights at the end of the week. An overall winner is chosen to compete at the National Level. 

Kristal was able to create many friendships with girls from all over the state. They worked tirelessly every day on their different routines while also making memories, building relationships, and sharpening their public speaking skills. She values the skills that she has developed and knows they will benefit her throughout her life. 

Kristal is currently a member of the Malad High School Cheer Team and the Malad FFA Chapter. She is in Honors Society and in the Top 25% of her Graduating Class. After graduation, Kristal will be attending Idaho State University in the fall where she will be finishing her associate's degree in paralegal studies. She will then proceed onto University of Idaho for three years to get her Juris Doctorate degree to become an attorney. Kristal would like to thank everyone for all their help, love, and support over the last year as she as represented our community as Distinguished Young Woman of Malad 2022.