The Chilton County Junior Miss winner Abigail Dy has started her journey to the Alabama Jr. Miss Program.

Dy and the other 50 candidates arrived in Montgomery on Monday and have been going through various activities and preparations for the state competition.

All 51 girls are competing for $51,000 in cash tuition scholarships and more than $2.25 million in college granted scholarships.

The girls are set to start competing tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m., and finals will begin on Saturday at 7 p.m.

While the girls are away from home, they are living with host families.

These host families make sure the girls are on time for all of their events as well as show support to them while their real families are not allowed to be there.

The girls also take part in many community events that will prepare them for what they will have to do if they win the competition.

“The America’s Junior Miss scholarship program was founded in 1957 and is the oldest and largest scholarship program for high school senior girls. It has helped thousands of girls pay for their educations and pursue their ambitions,” said Terry Ballant, public relations representative for Alabama Jr. Miss, Inc. “During the past 50 years, AJM has awarded scholarships exceeding $88 million to girls. More than $2 million in cash scholarships and $61 million in college-granted scholarships are available each year.”

The categories in which each contestant is evaluated are scholastics (20 percent), interview (25 percent), talent (25 percent), fitness (15 percent) and self-expression (15 percent).

The program’s goal is to honor young women who excel in all these areas and to encourage them to continue on the path of excellence by completing their college educations and assuming roles of leadership in their communities and professions, thereby setting an example for other young women to follow.

The 51st annual America’s Junior Miss National Finals will be held in Mobile on June 26-28.