Fairview’s Lauryn Tankersley is getting set to represent Cullman County in Alabama’s Distinguished Young Woman program in Montgomery.

Tankersley will be among several young women to compete for $41,000 in cash scholarships, more than $2 million in college-granted scholarships and a chance to represent Alabama in the national competition to be held in Mobile.

The weeklong program will begin Friday when she arrives at the home of her host family, Dee Miles, along with fellow DYW representatives from Butler, Coffee, and Tuscaloosa counties. During the week, contestants aren’t allowed to have any communication with family or friends or access to cellphones or computers, instead focusing on rehearsals and outreach events including the Cattlemen’s Association Luncheon, Kiwanis Club of Montgomery Luncheon, visiting a local elementary school, and an afternoon at the Montgomery Zoo.

The first preliminary will be 7:30 p.m., Jan. 19 at Fraser United Methodist Church, when she competes in the fitness portion and self-expression where contestants are asked a question on stage.

The second preliminary will begin at 1 p.m., Jan. 20, where she’ll perform ballet en pointe to Justin Hurwitz’s Epilogue from the award-winning movie La La Land, the routine that won her the Cullman County title.

She’s been rehearsing and perfecting her technique to prepare for the talent portion, adding more difficult elements.

“I have been classically trained in ballet for 14 years at Cullman Ballet Theatre School, and I am a six-year member of The Cullman Ballet Company,” she said. “I have also been meeting with Mrs. Mona Hopper to prepare for the interviews with the judges as well as improving my public speaking skills, she has been a great help to me.”

Tankersley admits the portion she’s most nervous about is the interview wherein judges ask her questions about current events and her views on society and its future.

In addition to Hopper, she’s also prepared with the local DYW program director Patty Grier and former Cullman County DYW winners.

“They have been great to answer my questions, and they have been great about giving me tips about surviving the week at state,” she said.

She’ll also have several family members and friends driving down to cheer her on. Her parents are Jason and Sherri Tankersley. After graduating, she plans to attend Auburn University and pursue a career in interior design.

As head majorette at Fairview and a member of the Cullman Ballet Company, she’s no stranger to practice and rehearsals.

“It takes a lot of preparation to be able to participate on the state level,” she said. “The fitness portion of the program is intense. There is a group fitness routine as well as an individual routine that I will perform on stage. I have been putting to good use my six-month membership to the Cullman Wellness and Aquatic Center that I received for winning the county program. I was already pretty physically fit due to the hours I put in each week with ballet and being part of the majorette line at Fairview, but I have been focusing these last few months on my upper body strength to prepare for the difficult routines.”

Tankersley said she’s most looking forward to meeting girls from all over the state, to challenge herself and gain life skills that will hopefully help her in future endeavors.

“The official platform of the Distinguished Young Women Program is ‘Be Your Best Self,’” she said. “The five elements of the program are be healthy, be involved, be studious and be responsible. I love what this program stands for and I am thankful to be a part of it.”