The Woman of Tomorrow ceremony; Award recognizes females achieving great things

Three girls from North Harford were chosen for the Woman of Tomorrow award and they were recognized at a recent dinner held on March 24. Winners were awarded a monetary prize at the event. 

  For the underclassmen category, freshman Jordan Lawson was nominated by her youth group leader. Lawson attended the Free Mason’s youth group and did community service there. 

  Some qualities she was nominated for was her “leadership skills, groups that [she’s] a part of, charities [she’s] in or starting, and putting in effort to start new things.” These are a few qualities judges look for when picking the winner for the award. 

  At the ceremony, Lawson said, “I sat there and listened to them talk about every nominee. It was long but interesting to see what other girls have done.” She mentioned she was nervous but overall “had a good time.” 

  Lawson is a part of the lacrosse team, Mock Trial team, and other groups. The main service project she had in her bio was how she’s “in the process of starting a charity for helping families with ASL, like giving them food, necessities, and clothes.” 

  The first year nominee did not win the award, but she believes “it’s a very subjective term, to be a ‘Woman of Tomorrow.’” Lawson explains. “It  could be doing all these amazing things and everyone knowing, or it could just be making an impact on one person’s life.” 

  In a different category, junior Maggie Layman was nominated in the upperclassmen group. She was nominated by her 4-H club leader and Madame Arist.  

  Layman was nominated because of her extracurricular activities and academic achievements. At the ceremony, she was more “apprehensive and nervous rather than scared.” She also enjoyed the ceremony and “learned a lot of new things.”  

  In her bio, she included “a list of achievements, [her] GPA, and a woman from history [she] look[s] up to.” She mentions, “mine was Amelia Earhart because I’m interested in being an air force pilot.” Layman also runs a non-profit organization which is something she added to her service projects.  

  Layman also didn’t win the award but she says “to be a Woman of Tomorrow, it means you are capable of achieving great things.”  

  Staying in the upperclassmen category, senior Marissa Altenburg was also nominated. English and journalism teacher Mrs.  Jen Chandler nominated Altenburg.  

  Qualities Altenburg had were her “leadership positions, having a lot of service hours, and in a lot of clubs.” At the ceremony, she wasn’t nervous, “only scared [she] was going to fall off the stage.” During the ceremony there was food and they talked about women of the past and future. 

  In Altenburg’s bio, she included how she is  “president of Best Buddies, student council secretary, 4-H club secretary, secretary for Science National Honors Society, in three other National Honors societies, a member of Young Life, and does church garden clean up.” 

   This senior also did not win but said to be a Woman of Tomorrow it means, “trying to better your community, take on leadership roles, and do positive things for your community.”