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One Year Later, Taking a Leadership Role

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Posted on June 23, 2016

Marketing and Communications

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Don鈥檛 ask Maire Nakada who will be named this year鈥檚 Distinguished Young Woman.

The 2015 scholarship competition winner, and 猫咪社区APP nursing student, has unique insight into what it takes to pull ahead of 50 other contestants. Still, Nakada isn鈥檛 about to predict her successor.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e amazing. If I had to pick out who I think would win, I could not tell you,鈥� Nakada said. 

National Finals 2016 take place June 23-25, capping off more than a week of events in coastal Alabama, including community service projects, meet-and-greets, and rib and oyster eating contests. The young women are from all 50 states and the District of Columbia and are vying for college scholarship money while being judged on scholarship, an interview, talent, fitness and self-expression.

Nakada represented her home state of Alaska and returns to the stage as she prepares to turn the title over to a new Distinguished Young Woman. She has spent the last year as an ambassador for the program while speaking to groups and inspiring other young people to uphold its motto, 鈥淏e Your Best Self.鈥�

As her year as Distinguished Young Woman concludes, Nakada assumes a leadership role as she walks this year鈥檚 contestants through National Finals events. She greeted the women at the Mobile Regional Airport when they arrived, though they already knew her face through friendships born on social media.

She also had advice at the raw oyster eating contest: 鈥淚 just told them don鈥檛 even think about what you鈥檙e eating.鈥� One contestant did, however, spitting out her first oyster before a successful second attempt.

鈥淚鈥檓 having so much fun. I really like being on this side of things,鈥� Nakada said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 awesome that I can be an inspiration to them. They don鈥檛 even know it, but they inspire me.鈥�

All the while, Nakada has taken it upon herself to be an ambassador for her university. 鈥淲e already have another convert,鈥� she said of a contestant who decided she will attend South this fall.  鈥淥ne already, and working on another.鈥�

Nakada plans to work as a nurse and attend medical school after earning her nursing degree. Her ultimate goal is to become an ophthalmologist and work for an organization such as Doctors Without Borders.

鈥淚 grew up in a beautiful place, where I could hike in the mountains almost every day,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want others to be able to see the world around them. If I could give back sight to a child and help their family, I feel like it鈥檚 almost my duty.鈥�

As for this week鈥檚 competition, Nakada said her one piece of advice to contestants would be this: 鈥淐ompletely embrace who you are 鈥� not the sloppy version of you, but the best version of you.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very tough to be the best version of yourself every single day. But that鈥檚 what makes people distinguished.鈥�

 

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