Maggie Haimelin
photo by Wendy King
Maggie Haimelin
photo by Wendy King
Maggie Haimelin with the 2022 Distinguished Young Woman of Tennessee Amy Pham
photo by Wendy King
Notre Dame High School senior and 12-year Scenic City Dance company member Maggie Haimelin was named the 2023 Distinguished Young Woman of Tennessee on Saturday night in Cleveland.
She received a total of $4,400 in scholarships: $4,000 and a silver medallion for the win and $400 for being among the top three of the 13 state participants in the talent and fitness categories.
The daughter of Danny and Barbara Haimelin of Chattanooga will represent Tennessee at next June’s Distinguished Young Woman of America contest in Mobile, Ala.
Miss Haimelin, who was the Distinguished Young Woman of Scenic City, mesmerized the audience at the Dixon Center on the Lee University campus with her powerful lyrical dance mixed with gymnastics to Whitney Houston’s rendition of “I Will Always Love You”. She and her Scenic City Dance teammates won several national team and individual titles at last month’s prestigious Starquest competition in Orlando.
The aspiring doctor is undecided about her college choice between the University of Alabama, the University of Georgia and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
First Alternate was Cumberland Valley’s Eleanor Fults. The Tullahoma High School student won Fitness and Self-Expression awards for a total of $1,900 in scholarships.
Second Alternate and the winner of the participant voted Spirit Award was Music City’s Ella Paligo. The Beech High School student won Self-Expression and Interview Awards for a total of $1,650 in scholarships.
Shelby County’s Izoduwa Ighodaro became the first recipient of The Be Your Best Self Award for excellence in implementing the five elements of the program motto: Physical and Mental Health, Community Service, Academics, Ambition and Responsibility.
Awards
Distinguished Young Woman of Tennessee 2023 – Maggie Haimelin (Scenic City/Notre Dame High School) $4,000 Scholarship
First Alternate – Eleanor Fults (Cumberland Valley/Tullahoma High School) $1,500 Scholarship
Second Alternate & Spirit Award– Ella Paligo (Music City/Beech High School) $750 & $500 Scholarships
Be Your Best Self Award – Izoduwa Ighodaro (Shelby County/Germantown High School) $500 Scholarship
Category Awards ($200 Scholarships)
Fitness – Eleanor Fults (Cumberland Valley), Maggie Haimelin (Scenic City) & Bailyn Kinney (Rhea County/Baylor School)
Interview – Madison Burke (McMinn County/McMinn County High School), Ella Paligo (Music City) & Colette Smith (Chattanooga/Girls Preparatory School)
Scholastic – Madison Burke (McMinn County), Izoduwa Ighodaro (Shelby County) & Bailyn Kinney (Rhea County)
Self-Expression – Eleanor Fults (Cumberland Valley), Ella Paligo (Music City) & Olivia Workman (Cleveland/Homeschool)
Talent – Sophia Craig (Soddy-Daisy/Boyd-Buchanan School), Maggie Haimelin (Scenic City) & Olivia Workman (Cleveland)