Hope Short will represent Chilton County this week as she spends time in Montgomery vying for the Alabama state title of Distinguished Young Women.

Short, a Chilton County High School senior, was selected in July 2014 to be the 2015 Chilton County Distinguished Young Woman.

Short will compete on Friday and Saturday at Montgomery’s Frazier United Methodist Church in the categories of fitness, talent and self-expression for the opportunity to win thousands of dollars in scholarship money and the title of 2015 Distinguished Young Woman of Alabama.

The 58-year-old program is a national scholarship program that encourages high school girls to develop their full potential.

“Right now, the girls representing the 50 Alabama counties will spend the week in Montgomery preparing for the competition on Friday and Saturday,” Distinguished Young Woman Co-Chairman Kay Clark said. “The time they are spending in Montgomery this week is something that really opens up a lot of doors as far as college and career go.”

Clark’s daughter, Brooke Clark, was the 2012 Distinguished Young Women representative for Chilton County.

Clark said Short will stay with a host family for the week and will have various activities to participate in with the other contestants.

“The Alabama Cattleman’s Association will feed them a nice steak for lunch, and the Kiwanis Club of Montgomery will also hold a lunch for them,” Clark said. “They will also get to go to the Montgomery Zoo, and then they will go to St. James Elementary School and have their ‘Be Your Best Self’ presentation.”

The “Be Your Best Self” is a DYW program that the DYW participants learn the value of community service and also focus on instilling kids and teens with confidence and a sense of empowerment.

Clark said the program kicks off on Friday night where Short will be doing her “fitness” and “self-expression” portions of the competition.

On Saturday at 1 p.m., she will compete in the talent portion, which consists of her playing the piano.

The final portion of the competition is on Saturday at 7 p.m. when the top eight will be selected.

The winner of the DYW Alabama State Finals will represent Alabama in the 58th DYW National Finals in Mobile in June.

The contestants are also judged on their scholastic performance and interview skills prior to the weekend competition.

“The program is wonderful because it provides you with scholarship money for college,” Clark said.

Short is the daughter of Kimberly Rhodes and Kenny Short.

For more information about the competition, visit the Distinguished Young Women of Alabama’s Facebook page.