The Stone County Enterprise’s summer intern reports on deadline while making headlines herself.Grace
Ann Courtney, 17, was a top eight finalist in the 2025 National Distinguished Young Woman competition, which concluded on Saturday, June 28, 2025.
Courtney, 17, daughter of Sean and Rebecca Courtney, made history as the first and only statewide Distinguished Young Woman of Mississippi winner from Stone County when she claimed the title last summer.
The national DYW finals took place at Mobile’s historic Saenger Theater.
The contestant from Oregon won the national title for DYW, but Courtney didn’t walk away empty-handed.
Courtney claimed preliminary victories in self-expression and interview portions, earning an additional $1,000 scholarship for each category. She earned a $5,000 scholarship for placing in the top eight contestants, bringing her total scholarship winnings to $7,000.
She competed against other talented and accomplished young women from all 50 states. The Distinguished Young Women program, founded in 1958, has awarded more than $1 billion in scholarships.
Past national winners have earned full-tuition scholarships to Ivy League universities, including Harvard.
A recent graduate of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, Courtney will attend the University of Mississippi with the distinction of being a Stamps Scholar this fall. She plans to double major in biochemistry and art. After her undergraduate studies, she intends to apply to medical school. She wants to be a plastic surgeon who specializes in pediatric facial reconstruction.
During her summer internship at the Stone County Enterprise, Courtney demonstrated a knack for editorial leadership, creativity, and quality communication skills.
Additionally, Courtney’s accomplishments extend far beyond the DYW program.
She was elected Lt. Gov. of Mississippi’s Magnolia Girls State, served as a student senator at MSMS, and worked as graphics editor for The Vision, her school’s award-winning student publication.
She also contributed as a student representative on the Mississippi Department of Education’s Student Advisory Committee.
Courtney performed Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” on piano for her talent presentation at nationals, showcasing the artistic skills that complement her academic and leadership achievements.
“I’m proud to represent Mississippi and share the values of scholarship, leadership, and service that Distinguished Young Women promotes,” Courtney said before the competition.
“The Stone County Enterprise is proud to have Courtney as their summer intern program,” said the Enterprise’s general manager, Lyndy Berryhill. “Her national recognition brings positive attention to our community and we’re very thankful to the Mississippi Press Association’s grant program for making her time at the newspaper a possibility.”