Thursday, April 2, 2026

Two Pasadena-Area Students Named Finalists for Distinguished Young Woman of L.A. County

Two students from Pasadena schools are among the finalists set to compete in the Distinguished Young Women of Los Angeles County program on Saturday, April 18, 2026, according to a press release from the organization. The event will determine the county’s representatives for the Class of 2027.

Kaitlyn Chiao, a San Marino resident who attends Pasadena Polytechnic School, and Natalie Kreakopyan, a Sierra Madre resident who attends Marshall Fundamental, are among the high school juniors selected to participate. “High school junior girls from across Los Angeles County will join together for the Distinguished Young Women of Los Angeles County program to be held on Saturday, April 18, 2026,” the release states.

Participants will be evaluated by a panel of five judges in scholastics (25%), interview (25%), talent (20%), fitness (15%) and self-expression (15%). The participants selected as the Distinguished Young Women of Los Angeles County will advance to the state level at the Distinguished Young Women of California program in July 2026, where they will join with other representatives from across the state in competing for cash scholarships and the opportunity to represent the state as the Distinguished Young Woman of California.

The Distinguished Young Women of Los Angeles County for the Class of 2026 — Audrey Chen of Encino, Madeleine Delbridge of Pasadena, Catelyn Lee of Porter Ranch and Lola Ye of Temple City — will co-host the event.

The organization released the full list of Class of 2027 participants, representing communities across Los Angeles County. Local participants include Chiao of Pasadena Polytechnic School and Kreakopyan of Marshall Fundamental. Other participants listed in the release represent Los Angeles, San Pedro, North Hollywood, Palmdale, Long Beach, Glendale, Porter Ranch, Northridge, Stevenson Ranch, La Cañada, Torrance, Whittier, Temple City, South Pasadena and Alhambra. The release also lists Ashley Khim of Porter Ranch, who attends Granada Hills Charter High School.

Founded in 1958, Distinguished Young Women is described in the release as “a free program that encourages participants to reach their full individual potential.” Its mission includes “providing over $1 billion in scholarship opportunities, connecting with a nationwide network of women, developing their self-confidence, and participating in our Life Skills Workshops that prepare them for success after high school.”

For more information on Distinguished Young Women of Los Angeles County, the release directs inquiries to losangeles@distinguishedyw.org. For national program information, it lists Carly Hudson, National Headquarters Marketing and Communications Director, at 251-438-3621 or Carly@DistinguishedYW.org, and provides the website www.DistinguishedYW.org.