Preliminary winners and runners-up for this year’s Distinguished Young Woman contest included Isabella Guerra, talent winner; Sofia Atrian second runner-up and self-expression winner; Taelor Krueger, title winner and scholastic award winner, Brianna Allen, first runner-up and fitness winner, and Kaylee Baker, named Spirit of Junior Miss winner. Courtesy photo
(Seguin) — Guadalupe County has a new Distinguished Young Woman. The contest in this area for years has been better known as Junior Miss. Earning the 2023 title during this year’s scholarship contest was Taelor Jo Krueger, a junior at Seguin High School. Krueger captured the title this past Sunday during the annual competition held at the Stephen and Mary Birch Texas Theatre.
Krueger, the daughter of Christina Krueger and Henry Krueger, also won the Scholastic Achievement preliminary award. In total, Krueger received an $8,000 scholarship to attend Texas Lutheran University as well as $1,450 in cash scholarships.
Krueger says she still can’t get over the excitement of winning this year’s title.
“So, my immediate reaction is I was not expecting to actually win. I was only able to go to one of the practices just due to the fact that I work a lot, so I barely knew anything. So, my immediate reaction, I was super happy. I was super surprised. It was awesome to have been selected out of all those amazing girls. They all did so good, so it was just a reaction of surprise and excitement,” said Krueger.
Krueger says she especially thanks the support that she has been shown. She says the win was no doubt a team effort.
“I would like to thank my family, my mother Christina Krueger as well as my grandparents Debbie and James Glenewinkel and then also a great shoutout to my sponsor which was Alves Insurance Company. They were a lot of help. I just want to encourage other young girls to join the program for the opportunity and everything that comes with it,” said Krueger.
First runner-up in the contest was Brianna Allen, daughter of Gordon and Jennifer Allen. Also, a Seguin High School junior, Allen was the overall Fitness winner. Allen was sponsored by Nancy Seidenberger.
She received a $6,000 scholarship to attend Texas Lutheran University and $1,200 in cash scholarships.
Sofia Atrain was the second runner-up and daughter of Oliker and Katie Atrian. She was sponsored by Los Cucos Mexican Cafe. A junior at Seguin High, she was the overall Self Expression winner. Atrain earned a $4,000 scholarship to Texas Lutheran and $950 in cash scholarships from local patrons.
This year’s overall talent winner was Isabella Guerra, daughter of Joe Richard and Linda Guerra. Guerra performed a Mariachi song for her talent portion of the contest. She attends Seguin High and was sponsored by The Koehler Company. She also was awarded that night with a $200 cash scholarship. The Spirit of Junior Miss award voted on by the contestants themselves went to Kaylee Baker, daughter of Crystal Riojas and Dalton James Baker. Baker received a $200 cash scholarship and was sponsored by Mark Herbold State Farm.
Each winner received plaques and flowers from Viola’s and Dietz Flower Shops.
A total of 10 participants took part in this year’s scholarship contest. Krueger says she encourages even more incoming high school juniors to sign up for next year.
“I would definitely tell them to consider it. It’s a great program because you are able to learn a lot through it. Honestly Ms. (Toni) Winters has been a great help. She kind of teaches us how to be a proper woman in a way — to represent yourself in a positive outlook for everything good that you do. So, I would definitely say for other girls joining it, join it to express yourself and show what a great young woman you are in today’s society,” said Krueger.
This marked the 58th year that Junior Miss/Distinguished Young Woman have recognized the talents of area high school young women. For this, Winters, the program chairman, thanked the community for its continued sponsorship of this “outstanding program.” During this year’s program, Steve Tschoepe, another longtime coordinator of the program, was also applauded for his 36 years of involvement with the program.
Krueger now advances to the state competition to be held later this year in Houston.