The Zonta Club of Columbus developed the Outstanding Young Women Program to recognize and encourage high school senior women who demonstrate excellence in leadership, scholarship and service.

The first awards were given in 1980. Since that time 385 young women from 86 central Ohio schools have been honored with this award. The 32nd annual awards reception will take place on Sunday, March 4 @ the Worthington Hills Country Club.

From the OYW honorees one young woman is nominated by the Zonta Club of Columbus for the Zonta International Young Women in Public Affairs Award.

Each central Ohio high school is invited to nominate outstanding young women. Each nominee submits an application packet that contains information about leadership, scholarship and service achievements as well as short essay responses to questions related to these three areas. Each nominee is also required to obtain two recommendations from individuals that can speak to the nominee's abilities and behaviors that demonstrate leadership, scholarship and service.

All of the young women are invited to a Leadership Forum to meet one another and share their experiences, thoughts and feelings about being leaders in scholarship and service to their schools and communities. The day is filled with fun, meaningful discussions and fellowship between the young women and the Zontians.

The ZCC Outstanding Young Women Program is guided by the Zonta mission of advancing the status of women worldwide and is a proud tradition of our club.