Julia Harrison, Distinguished Young Woman of Newton County, will be one of 32 Mississippi high school seniors competing for more than $36,000 in college scholarships when the 2026 Distinguished Young Women of Mississippi Program gets underway Thursday, July 17, in Meridian, Mississippi.
The state program, which is held in Meridian, Mississippi, is now in its 69th year celebrating and spotlighting outstanding achievements of the state’s best and brightest high school women. The three nights of competition at The Evangel Temple concludes on Saturday, July 19. The doors open nightly at 6:30 pm and each show starts promptly at 7:30 pm for the three-night event.
“We are extremely excited about this year’s program,” said Sid Wilkinson, State Chairman of the Distinguished Young Women of Mississippi Program. “Distinguished Young Women of MS celebrates the outstanding accomplishments of high school women and offers them cash scholarship opportunities to
further their education and to develop their self-confidence.”
Julia Harrison, the daughter of Chad & Dr. Nicole Harrison of Union, attends Union High School. Harrison’s academic accomplishments, memberships and hobbies include the following: Superintendent’s List (K-12), Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership, BETA Club (6-11), Student Council (3 years), Yearbook Staff Editor, UHS Cheer (5 years) (2x State Champion) – Captain, UHS Volleyball (5 years) – Captain, UHS Tennis (4 years), MHSAA Band State Champion (2024). She plans to attend Mississippi State University to pursue a career in Orthodontics.
During the week-long program in Meridian, participants are evaluated on scholastic achievement, fitness, self-expression, talent, and interview. Julia has chosen a vocal performance to “One Perfect Moment”, from Bring It On: The Musical, for her talent.
If selected as Distinguished Young Woman of Mississippi, Julia Harrison will compete in the National Distinguished Young Women of 2026 finals in June of 2026, held in Mobile, Alabama. There she will compete for the opportunity to win a share of more than $100,000 in cash scholarship awards, including the $40,000 national title scholarship award.
Reserved tickets for the 2026 Distinguished Young Women Program at The Evangel Temple in Meridian are available for $65 for a three-night package. General admission tickets are available for $50 for a three-night package, or may be purchased for individual evenings: $20, Thursday; $20, Friday; and $25, Saturday. Tickets go on sale Monday, June 30, and may be obtained by logging on www.purplepass.com/dywofms26 or calling 601-480-3438. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are welcome.
