Kinston’s Lilli Daughety and Rachel Noble shine at Distinguished Young Women of North Carolina Program
The Distinguished Young Women of North Carolina scholarship program wrapped up its 2025 competition at the Carolina Theatre of Greensboro on January 24 and 25, celebrating outstanding high school juniors from across the state. Among them, Lilli Daughety and Rachel Noble proudly represented Kinston and Lenoir County, earning notable distinctions in the statewide competition.
Daughety, a student aiming to attend ECU Honors College with aspirations of becoming an orthodontist, showcased her talent through a tap dance performance. She was awarded a Fitness preliminary award and finished as 2nd Runner-Up. Noble, who plans to study at North Carolina State University to pursue a career in agricultural law, competed in the spoken word category and received an Interview preliminary award.
The program, designed to recognize academic achievement, leadership, and talent, evaluates participants in scholastics, interview, talent, self-expression, and fitness. It offers college scholarships at the state level, with additional millions in college-granted scholarships available nationally. The state winner advances to the national competition, where they compete for tuition scholarships.
This year, Susan Claire Bailey of Roxboro was named the Distinguished Young Woman of North Carolina for 2025, earning the opportunity to represent the state at the national program.
The Distinguished Young Women program, formerly known as America’s Junior Miss, was established in 1958 to provide scholarship opportunities for high school girls seeking higher education. Since its inception, the program has awarded more than $118 million in cash scholarships and drawn participation from over 780,000 young women at local, state, and national levels.
For Daughety and Noble, the experience was about more than just awards. It was an opportunity to build confidence, form new friendships, and embrace the support of their community. Their achievements reflect not only their individual dedication but also the strong foundation of talent and leadership emerging from Kinston and Lenoir County.
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