On August 17, the Roanoke Rapids High School senior took area honors, winning the preliminary Distinguished Young Women of Roanoke Valley competition, a national scholarship program that promotes and rewards scholarship, leadership and talent in young women.

It is also a program whose aim is to develop friendships, self-confidence and other life skills that pave the way for future success.

A panel of five judges selected Neville as the local representative to compete on the state level for a chance to advance to the National Finals competition in Mobile.

Neville, along with Mallory Barrow and DeeDee Jones were winners of the fitness category while Barrow, Brianna Jones and Beth White were selected as winners of the self-expression category.

Neville during the talent competition.

In the interview portion, which took place the morning of the program, Neville, Brianna Jones and White were declared the winners.

The scholastic category saw Neville, White and Brianna Jones take the honors.

As part of the program, each contestant chose one or two little sisters and a little buddy. Neville selected Brooke Myers and Julia Jones as her little sisters and Natalie Jones as her little buddy.

Neville, 16, is the daughter of Robert and Treva Neville. Her sister, Jill, is a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Her 13-year-old brother Jack is an eighth grader at Chaloner.

Neville plans to attend UNC-Wilmington, UNC-Chapel Hill or East Carolina upon graduation.

She competes at the state level in Greensboro on January 31 and February1.

She will leave for Greensboro the weekend prior and stay with a host family the week leading up to the program.

The representatives vying for the state title will spend a week preparing for the program along with visiting the Ronald McDonald house and area schools talking to students about the DYW Be Your Best Self Program.

The Distinguished Young Women experience is open to every eligible young woman and there is no cost to participate.