Brooke Rucker
Cartersville resident Brooke Rucker became the second area woman in the last four years to be named the Distinguished Young Woman of America on Saturday night in Mobile.
The 18-year-old graduate of Woodland High School and incoming freshman at Florida State University received scholarships totaling $57,000 including awards for Overall Interview and Fitness Awards as well as special recognition in Self-Expression and Talent. Katye Brock of Tullahoma who is a rising senior at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville was the 2011 national winner. Ms. Rucker, who danced to “Hot Honey Rag” from the musical Chicago in the talent portion, plans to major in choreography at Florida State. She has been the dance captain for the Cartersville Artistic Talent Showcase and was heavily involved in the arts program at Woodland.
She is the fourth Georgian and the first in 14 years to win the title that was formerly known as America’s Junior Miss joining Sarah Jane Everman (1999), Calhoun’s Rebecca Jones (1993) and former sportscaster and Entertainment Tonight correspondent Julie Bryan Moran (1980).
Tennessee’s entrant Courtney Miller, who is also from Tullahoma and like Ms. Brock a product of the Tullahoma/Cumberland Valley local program, was not among the top 10 finalists.
The 2015 Tennessee state program will be held on July 11 and 12 in Cleveland.