Blackfoot’s Distinguished Young Woman of 2017-2018, Mia Toussaint (12) won $4,000 and several awards at the state competition, October 6-7, with an injury.

The contestants stayed with a host family in Idaho Falls throughout the week of September 30 through October 7.

Toussaint’s host dad was a physical therapist and host mom was in charge of the interview workshop.

Toussaint worked for 7-8 hours a day throughout the week on the routines and interviewing process.

An hour before the performance on the 6th, Toussaint was working on the fitness routine when she landed a toe-touch wrong.

“I felt both of my quads tear in different ways,” Toussaint said.

Toussaint’s host dad said she had microtears in both of her quads in different places. Thirty minutes before the show, Toussaint’s host mom had Toussaint do as much of her talent as she could. Toussaint was not able to perform parts of the dance routine that she had planned the year before because of her injury.

During the competition, after every routine, Toussaint said, “[I would] have someone carry me backstage, do the treatment, get ready, and go back on stage.”

“It was really hard, but it taught me a lot about endurance. You have to endure in things like that…It taught me so many life lessons: endurance and that you have to ask for help sometimes,” Toussaint said.

Toussaint was in the first group out of three. On Friday, she performed her talent and on Saturday she performed self-expression and fitness routines. Saturday night, Toussaint found out that she was in the top ten.

In the end, Toussaint won the Spirit of Distinguished Young Women, Overall Interview, Overall Self-Expression, and 2nd Attendant. She won about $4,000 in scholarship money.

“It was super fun. I would do it again,” Toussaint said.

Toussaint liked the competition because “[you] push yourself to limits that you don’t think you can reach.”

“[DYW] was truly life-changing…It is an inspiring experience that shows you the greatness in yourself and others,” Toussaint said.