By Morgan Burkett
The Greenville Advocate

Kathryn McGowin is no stranger to the stage.

The Fort Dale Academy senior is a longtime member of the Ritz Players, the local community theater group that takes to the stage of the historic Ritz Theatre each April for its annual production of Putting on the Ritz.

“Being involved in the arts is so important to me because I’ve grown up around it,” McGowin said. “The arts have helped mold me into the lady I am today.”

McGowin has played a variety of roles in the Putting on the Ritz productions. Some of those roles may have made McGowin difficult to recognize for audience members.

“So far, my more extreme wardrobes have varied from lions, jokers, and even a giraffe,” said McGowin.

While McGowin may have been hard to recognize on stage, she’s well known in the community.

The senior serves as a Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce Camellia Girl and has been a part of in L.V. Stabler Memorial Hospital’s volunteer program for three years. During that time she’s volunteered more than 300 hours.

“Being involved in the community helps me give back. Also, I have had the privilege to meet s many new people,” said McGowin.

On Saturday, McGowin will once again take to the stage of the Ritz Theatre.

But this time there will be no costume.

McGowin is one of eight seniors competing for the title of Butler County’s Distinguished Young Woman.

Distinguished Young Women is a scholarship program that was founded in 1958 in Mobile. It is the largest and oldest national scholarship program for high school girls.

Contestants will compete in five categories: scholastics, interview, talent, fitness and self-expression.

The interview and talent portions of the competition will count for 25 percent of the contestant’s score, while the scholastics portion will count for 20 percent and fitness and self-expression will each count for 15 percent of the overall score.

This year’s competition will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Ritz Theatre in Greenville. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m.