BACK TO 1985
The Year Valerie Lowrance won Nationals
DISTINGUISHED YOUNG WOMEN
The rich history & evolution of Seguin’s DYW program
JuniorMiss JuniorMiss
Celebrating 60 Years of & the Distinguished Young Women of Guadalupe County
March is the month of new beginnings, a refresh, a new start. But for others, March is a good luck month. Although many believe luck has played a role in their success, others like the ones you will come to know in this month’s issue of Seguin Today say it’s not luck but a desire and commitment to work hard, play hard as well as a willingness to apply their skill sets to any challenge that comes their way. This month, we had the honor to rewind the clock as we stepped back into 1985, the year that Seguin found a place on the map thanks to Valerie Lowrance, who at the time was just a teen from Seguin who found herself in the national spotlight as America’s Junior Miss. However, years before that national moment and throughout the years since, Seguin has been represented well by all the local Junior Miss/Distinguished Young Women winners who have made their way to the stage and all who have done it with one great purpose and that is to continue to showcase the excellence of all women in Seguin and Guadalupe County.
Cindy Aguirre-Herrera News Director
COVERSHOT
Valerie Lowrance won the America’s Junior Miss competition in 1985, putting the Seguin program on the national map, and changing her own life in the process.
Courtesy Photo
HEART & SOUL OF JUNIOR MISS Toni Winters’ shares legacy of Guadalupe County’s Distinguished Young Women
GENERAL MANAGER
Darren Dunn
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Lizz Daniels
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Nick Spence
WRITERS
Cindy Aguirre-Herrera
Chris Austin
Lizz Daniels
ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS
Laurie Ann Heideke
Linda Duncan
Jarred Kindles
OFFICE MANAGER
Priscilda Rodriguez
My personal experience as Junior Miss has been so inspiring. I have gotten the chance to meet and work with so many people over the year and have enjoyed every little bit. This title has made me a better person because it led me to realize that anything is achievable when you put in everything you’ve got. I would encourage other young ladies to participate because it allows you to inspire people through your unique passion being exemplified in the program. Valerie Lowrance is a true inspiration because she proves that no matter where you’re from, you can have a big impact on the world. Representing this 60 year old tradition has honestly been such an amazing privilege and has been something I have looked up to since I was little.
The HEART & SOUL of JuniorMiss
Story by Lizz Daniels with Courtesy Photos
Toni Winters has been involved in the Seguin chapter of DYW for over thirty years and remains a vital part of keeping the program going for new generations of girls.
“I started working with the Junior Miss program 36 years ago,” Winters said. “I was asked to help with the refreshments that year. My sister Dottsy had participated in the Junior Miss program in 1971 when she was a junior in high school. I was familiar with the program, and I am always willing to help. Junior Miss/Distinguished Young Women is in my heart. I love what it stands for and how it helps the young ladies that participate in it. The program is for the well-rounded young woman. The awesome part of this program is that everyone who participates comes out as a winner. We say ‘we choose a representative from a group of winners, not a winner from a group of representatives.’”
Winter’s role in the DYW has evolved over time, much like the program itself and while she still helps wherever needed, her current role is program chairman, but that wouldn’t have been possible without her friend, the late Steve Tschoepe.
“My friend Steve Tschoepe was the other half of Junior Miss. He had been with the program two years before I started, and he was a
constant throughout all the years I have been here. He was an integral part of the program and loved what the program stands for. He passed away last year, and we miss him deeply. We have also named one of our awards, the Steve Tschoepe Award. One of the reasons I really love this program is because it gives young ladies an opportunity to win scholarships in each category. We love getting to know the young ladies and making a difference in their lives. Our local program has been in Seguin for 60 years. At one point, the national and state level were considering shutting the program down due to funding issues. I told Steve that as long as I’m around, the local Junior Miss/DYW program will be in Seguin. It’s in my heart and I feel it does a world of good for these young ladies and I want to continue giving it my best.”
For sixty years, the Junior Miss/DYW has existed in Seguin, and is as of 2025, the only remaining independent community-based organization for the program in the state. Winters and her partner Tschoepe played a key role in keeping the event alive despite facing challenges along the way. As time went on, and the world changed, local chapters closed things down, leaving only the state level of competition for many young girls to participate in.
Guadalupe County Winners Over the YEARS
1965 - Joan Wright
1966 - Jane Traeger
1967 - Kathy Murillo
1968 - Peggy Guttery
1969 - Kay Bunker
1970 - Barbara Engbrock
1971 - Dottsy Brodt
1972 - Cheri Ryan
1973 - Mary Schorlemer
1974 - Monica Seidenberger
1975 - Amy Gibbs
1976 - Ava Elsik
1977 - Melissa Burris
1978 - Lisa Prochnow
1979 - Alice Cooley & Sally Schriewer
1980 - Anne Sparks
1981 - Traci Wallace
1982 - Kristi McClatchy
1983 - Leah Groves
1984 - Valerie Lowrance
1985 - LeAnn Erne
1986 - Jennifer Gibbons
1987 - Jana Womack
1988 - Macey Frels
1989 - Abby Sassenhagen
1990 - Diana Kucherka
1991 - Kristen Frels
1992 - Cindy Lee
1993 - Danielle Bethel
1994 - Claire Downs
1994 - Catie Lee
1995 - Michelle Maddox
1996 - Devon Welsch
1997 -Annaliese Hettinger
1998 - Jenna Stollewerk
1999 - Courtney Fox
2000 - Corrie Colvin
2001 - Ashley Hoyer
2002 - Stacy Medley
2003 - Jordan Blumberg
2004 - Chelsea Henderson
2005 - Megan Martin
2006 - Amanda Preuss
2007 - Sara Basha
2008 - Molly Cordes
2009 - Brooklyn Eikenburg
2010 - Lauren Bouquet
2011 - Megan Ludzenski
2012 - Cenaida Zenteno
2013 - Krystal Moczygemba
2014 - Madison Clark
2015 - Savanna Russell
2016 - Morgan Kunde
2017 - Sierra Knight
2018 - Ashlee Hernandez
2019 - McKenzie Hodges
2020 - Kamdyn Holt
2021 - Avery Brown
2022 - Taelor Kruegar
2023 - Sophie Salazar
2024 - Reyna Gold
“The program continued on the national and state levels, but several of the Texas programs dropped out,” Winters explained. “Our local program is the only program in Texas. When our representative goes to the State program to compete, she is the only participant from a program. The state level does an ‘at large program’ so other young ladies across the state get a chance to compete for scholarships. I am very proud to be the only local program that is still participating. We are so proud of all the support that our town has given us. We have had sponsors and donations for many years. Seguin has always supported the program. All of the donations are used for scholarships for the girls. We send the money directly to their college in their name. It is so rewarding to send the scholarships. Some of my best memories of the Junior Miss program are of my daughters Ashley Winters Spahn and Taylor Winters Haecker participating in the program when they were juniors in high school. I also remember my sister Dottsy Brodt Dwyer winning the title of Junior Miss locally and going to compete at state and winning the talent portion at the state level.”
Although the program’s name has changed from Junior Miss to DYW, the goal of highlighting the exceptional talents and qualities of participants has remained a primary objective for Winters and other organizers over the years. At first glance, DYW may look a bit like a pageant, but it’s much more of a scholarship program that focuses on the academic and community accomplishments of participants rather than their beauty.
“The girls participate in five categories in the program. We have self-expression, which consists of walking and talking on the stage,” Winters said. “We have a fitness category where the girls learn a fitness routine and perform it on the stage. There is the talent category where the girls perform their own personal talent on the stage. They have an interview with the judges, where the young ladies are asked about their accomplishments, community service, and interests in high school. The last category is scholastic. The girls get their transcripts from their school, which has their courseload on it, and their scholastic portion is judged by a separate panel of judges. At the end of the program, all the scores come together, and a winner is selected.”
With Tschoepe gone, Winters now relies on a dedicated team of volunteers who come together to make the DYW program happen each year and says it is truly a team effort and a labor of love.
“I have many volunteers that help with the program,” she said. “I call them my Junior Miss family. I still refer to the program as Junior Miss! Our name has been around for 60 years and people continue to love and support us. The Junior Miss program is always open for more donations and
sponsorships! We are always proud to give away more scholarships each year. I would like to add that I have an awesome committee that helps in so many ways! We have Lori Petty, Kristen Haener, Clara Winters, Heather Drury, Missy Meeley, Madison Clark, Rebecca Clark, and Nancy Hollub. We have Nash Catering which donates food for the girls’ dress rehearsal and several of the local beta groups that help donate food for the day of the program. It takes the whole Junior Miss family to help make our program awesome.”
Winters emphasizes that the program is for any young woman, and all are encouraged to participate as long as they live in Guadalupe County. The opportunity to rack up some serious funds for college cannot be understated, and for many participants over the years, it has made a profound impact on their ability to fund their higher education.
“I encourage every junior in high school to come and participate in our program,” Winters said. “I explain to them that they have everything it takes to be a part of the program. No matter
what your scholastic scores are, physical ability or talent. I tell them that every single person has it in them to complete this program and have a wonderful time. We treat each young lady equally and help them all as much as we possibly can. I cannot put a dollar figure on how much money we have given the young ladies over the years. As of now, we locally donate $4,000 in cash scholarships and $14,000 in a local scholarship to Texas Lutheran University. We have a winner, a first runner-up, and a second runner-up, and then, we have five preliminary award winners, and they also get scholarship money. I have had the Junior Miss program in my heart for as long as I can remember. I love what it stands for, and I love the difference it makes in the young ladies’ lives.”
As Junior Miss/DYW enters its 60th anniversary year, Winters and her team of dedicated individuals say they will continue to make it their mission to elevate and highlight the excellence of all young women in the Guadalupe County community and hope to do so for many more decades to come. •
To watch a video of Valerie winning her 1985 title, scan the QR code!
MISS 1985 1985
1985 Travel Back to
The Year a Girl from Seguin became America’s JUNIOR
“Unbelievably a highlight of my life. I mean, I don’t think a week goes by without it coming up in some way.”
Those are the words of America’s 1985 Junior Miss Valerie Lowrance Tyler as she reflected on the experience of earning the national title on live television 40 years ago.
As Seguin and Guadalupe County commemorate the 60th anniversary of Junior Miss, now known as the Distinguished Young Women program, Tyler says she can’t help but get emotional as she reflects on that moment when her life changed forever.
It was on that stage in Mobile, Alabama in June 1985, when the 18-year-old hometown girl from Seguin was immediately immersed into the national spotlight following these words, by Celebrity Hosts Bruce Jenner and Mary Fran, “And now… let’s meet America’s Jr. Miss for 1985 for the first time and that is Texas’ Valerie Lowrance!”
Replaying that moment in time, Tyler says she cannot help but be humble and appreciative of that once-in-a-lifetime experience.
But perhaps what makes the experience more incredible is the initial journey that started here at home.
“Honestly, it was a phone call from a wonderful woman in our community. Debbie Dykes called me out of the blue and asked me if I had ever thought about participating in the Seguin Junior Miss program,” Tyler said. “And I answered honestly that I had never considered it. She began to explain the mission statement of the program and the categories for evaluation and helped me see that it was such a worthwhile organization with an opportunity to earn a great deal of scholarship money.
Story by Cindy Aguirre-Herrera with Courtesy Photos
Pictured is Valerie having fun at the Senior Bowl practice when she was Senior Bowl Queen which at the time was always the reigning America’s Junior Miss.
“Both of my parents were teachers and although they provided everything that my younger brother and I needed to the best of their ability, we knew that affording a college education was going to be difficult, so I was very interested in the scholarship money and I was very comfortable with the categories of judging. She told me that she had been paying attention to the things I was doing in high school and in the community and encouraged me to participate because she thought I would be a strong candidate and have a great deal of success in the program. I was still hesitant, so she asked me to come to the informational meeting where I met her daughter Judy Dykes Hoffman, who was the choreographer for the program, and all of the other local committee members. I knew right away after hearing about their program that this was something I wanted to do. After I completed my applicant paperwork to participate, the Dykes family offered to sponsor me through their business, JC’s hot sauce. I am forever grateful for her phone call and for her belief in me. I had no idea at the time where that moment would take me.”
After a bit of that coaxing, Tyler claimed the Seguin Junior Miss title in the Spring of 1984 at the Seguin-Guadalupe County Coliseum.
Looking back, Tyler says clinching the national title might have just already been in the cards. Justifying that notion was going into the state contest in New Braunfels during the summer of 1984 where Tyler says she “went without a thought in the world about winning anything.”
“Funny story, that summer right before going to Texas Junior Miss, I was doing some cheerleading stunts and I broke my left leg and tore all the cartilage in my left knee and so I was on crutches and I thought I was not going to be able to go to Texas Junior Miss and I called our local Junior Miss committee and said I guess I need to resign,” she said. “Maybe I need to give up my title. Maybe you need to send the first runner-up because Seguin is not going to have a representative that can actually win Texas Junior Miss or
win any scholarship money. There is no way I can win with a broken leg and the Junior Miss program in Seguin was wonderful. They were like Valerie we are sad for you that this is going to diminish your chances to maybe win scholarship money because a part of the program was about things that are done on stage but there are also scholarships given out for winning things like the judges interview and scholastic achievement and more than that, it is just a great opportunity to go meet 38 other women from the state of Texas and that is what this is about. So, we believe in you. You won the title, so you go and have fun.”
After a broken leg could not stop her, Tyler felt even more excited about traveling to the big stage for the America’s Junior Miss contest. But with 52 contestants – each representing a different state including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, Tyler says she couldn’t help but feel a level of defeat upon arriving at the airport.
“When I got off the plane in Mobile Alabama, I came face-to-face with 51 amazing young women who were confident, outgoing, brilliant and I was completely intimidated,” Tyler said. “I loved getting to know each of those amazing young women, learning more about them and their different lives, meeting many that had scored perfect scores on the SAT and were headed to the top universities in the nation, many of whom were some of the most talented people I’ve ever met in person, but I called my mom and dad the first night and told them to lower any expectations because there was no way I would even be a finalist. I wanted to do my best, of course, and make Seguin and Texas proud, but I lost any hope of winning anything because of how impressive the other contestants were, and I focused on enjoying every moment of this exposure to different cultures and different experiences of the teenagers from living in different states.”
But of course, as fate would have it, Tyler’s journey that began in Seguin was far from over.
“In the end, there was a competition and that time finally came,” she recalled. “We began with two nights of preliminary competition and the 52 candidates were divided into four groups of 13. I was surprised that I won a preliminary award for my group of 13 for scholastic achievement and I was so honored and amazed, but I thought that would be the end of it. On the nationally televised finals night, after we did our opening routine, when they named the five finalists, I was completely blown away to be named as one of them! And then of course, I got pretty excited because since the national program was only going to be one hour long, most of it would be focusing on the competition of the five finalists so I just felt lucky and thought it would be fun for my family and my high school friends to get to see me on TV. And I was nervous beyond belief. But that was it. I still had no thought of winning. As we got down to the announcement of the winners, I was holding onto a potentially realistic hope that maybe I could be second runner up. When they announced the second runner up, my heart sank because I thought it was over. You can tell from my reaction -- if you ever see the broadcast -- that I was completely shocked when they called my name. It was the most amazing feeling to walk out to the end of the stage and receive the gold medal and the bouquet of flowers and hear the applause, but I was pretty much still in a complete trance
like I was in a dream. I couldn’t sleep that night and it probably wasn’t until the next day when my parents and I sat down with the America’s Junior Miss executive director and began to go over my travel schedule for the year and my press appointments etc. that it finally began to hit me exactly what happened and how much my life was going to change.”
Within literal minutes of earning the title, Tyler says her life was filled with a “whirlwind tour” of fantastic memories –memories that included an interview on Good Morning America, an appearance on the Jerry Lewis Telethon, meeting a slate of celebrities, promoting the 100th anniversary of CocaCola (her favorite soft drink) and a much remembered personal visit in the Oval Office with U.S. President Ronald Regan.
The sequence of events that followed her throughout that year also saw her juggling her title responsibilities with preparing for college.
After earning over $30,000 in straight cash scholarships through local, state, and national contests, Tyler also saw more than $100,000 in scholarships to specific universities – many of which included full-rides to colleges all over the United States.
“I had been accepted to the University of Texas at Austin, but my parents and I had no idea how we were going to be able to afford to pay
for four years of tuition plus the expensive room and board of living in Austin Texas,” Tyler said. “I graduated as a valedictorian from Seguin High School which included a small cash scholarship, and I had also been awarded a few other small scholarships from various local scholarships. But those local scholarships would barely cover one semester of learning while living at UT. Remember this was 1985, so $30,000 went a very long way - much, much further than it goes today. And the Junior Miss scholarships could be applied not only towards tuition but also books and supplies, room, and board. Thanks to Junior Miss, my entire undergraduate education was completely paid for through scholarship money.
So, in reality my winning Seguin, Texas, and America’s Junior Miss also had a positive impact on my younger brother, Joey’s life. It allowed my parents to take the savings that they had for college assistance for me and apply all of it to his college education which helped him immensely and he is now a very successful choir director at Georgetown High School.”
In fact, Tyler says she credits the Junior Miss program for not only funding her education but also steering her on the right career path.
“During my travel with America’s Junior Miss, I met so many people and was exposed to so many career opportunities,” she said.
1985, pg. 20
Valerie, pictured with celebrities Mary Fran (from the Newhart Show) and Bruce (Kaitlyn) Jenner who co-hosted the televised show.
Valerie also met celebrity, Gordon Thompson - a star on Dynasty at the time - due to her win at Nationals, which she now describes as a “time capsule” photo memory.
To promote your event on this page contact advertising at 830-379-2234 or email communitycalendar@kwed1580.com Featured
Events
Spring Break
Seguin ISD: March 10 - March 14
Navarro ISD: March 17 - March 20
Marion ISD: March 17 - March 20
TLU: March 17 - March 20
March 19
Mountain Biking 101
The Guadalupe Chapter of Master Naturalists is hosting Wellness
Wednesday: Mountain Biking 101 at 5:00 p.m. on March 19, 2025, at the Irma Lewis Outdoor Learning Center, 1865 E. Hwy 90, Seguin, TX. This free event is open to the community, with bikes and helmets provided. Participants will learn and practice basic off-road biking skills. Space is limited, and the ability to safely ride a two-wheel bike is required. Registration is required at this link.
March 27
Swing for Seguin
March 21
Gather Fest
The Gather Fest is a new festival for the Hill Country featuring food trucks, live worship and music performances, amusement park rides, and more. The event will take place on March 21 and 22 from 12 PM to 8 PM at Redemptive Grace Ministries, 2240 FM 725, New Braunfels, TX 78130. Attendees can enjoy fair rides, food trucks, live music, and shopping. Parking is $15, a daily band is $20, and a VIP band is $25.
Join the Leadership Seguin Class of 2025 for the “Swing for Seguin” Golf Fundraising Event on Thursday, March 27, 2025, at The Bandit Golf Course. Registration and breakfast begin at 7:30 AM, with a shotgun start at 8:30 AM. A 4-person team is $500, including range balls, cart rental, 18-hole scramble, breakfast taco, box lunch, drinks, swag, and snacks. Sponsorships are available. Proceeds benefit enhancements to Manuel C. Castilla Park. For more information and to register, visit the Seguin Chamber of Commerce website.
March 26
Brown Cultural Event Series
The TLU Jessie S. and Jack Harold Upton Brown Cultural Enrichment Fund will present The Second City 65th Anniversary Show at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26 at Jackson Auditorium on the campus of Texas Lutheran University. There will be handpicked songs, sketches, and characters written by Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Bill Murray, Keegan Michael Key, Eugene Levy, and other star-studded alumni of The Second City. The show celebrates the comedy troupe’s history with favorite material from their stages over the years.
April 12
Panther Palooza
Navarro ISD is hosting the second annual Panther Palooza on Saturday, April 12, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Navarro Intermediate Parking Lot (588 Link Rd, Seguin, TX 78155). Panther Palooza is a family-friendly community event showcasing local businesses, organizations and student talent. Panther Palooza promises an evening of fun and community engagement, featuring activities, food trucks, shopping, student performances, and a sunset street dance with music by Clint Taft & the Buckwild Band.
“Just prior to graduating from UT with a degree in broadcast journalism, I had accepted a job in Lubbock to be a sports reporter and weekend actor for a TV station there. But first, I had been invited back to Alabama to emcee the Alabama Junior Miss program. While there in Montgomery, I met the Governor of Alabama and ended up being offered a job to become his assistant press secretary. I moved to Alabama instead, right after graduating and starting writing speeches for the Governor and his wife and traveled with the Governor handling media relations and press questions for almost a year and a half. But believe it or not, I still had some scholarship money left from Junior Miss. And I had always dreamed of going to law school. So, I returned to Texas, took the LSAT and got into the University of Texas School of Law. Again, I was so worried about how to finance law school, but Junior Miss scholarships covered my first year of law school, which gave me the confidence to start that journey.”
While it is sometimes almost impossible to put into words, Tyler says she believes this road to America’s Junior Miss helped to bring all her future pathways together.
“On the first day of law school, I met my husband, Craig Tyler,” she said. “We were married right after that first year of law school. After graduating and taking the bar, we moved to Houston where I worked as an assistant district attorney and everything that I have done in my life since then, stems from that. In truth, Junior Miss not only made my education possible, and truly the dream of my brother’s college education possible, but it also put me on the journey that brought me my career, and more importantly, my husband of 32 years and our four children.”
Despite being filled with many personal memories of the program, it might perhaps just be the Seguin and Guadalupe County community who will forever be thankful for her talent and determination to represent them so well.
“And perhaps the most touching thing was the celebration this community planned for me when I finally returned home after winning America’s Junior Miss,” Tyler said. “When I was finally able to get my first break to come home for a visit, it had been more than a month since I had been in my hometown. I was pretty tired and pretty homesick. I landed at the San Antonio Airport, and remembered now that
this was prior to 911, and back in the days when everyone could just walk right up to the gate. My national chaperone reminded me that when I landed, as was typical for all my trips, there might be a San Antonio reporter there ready to take my picture and ask a few questions. But I was blown away when I walked off the airplane into a full on celebration right there in the San Antonio airport! Seguin and Texas Junior miss committee members were there with my family and Seguin dignitaries were there like the Timmerman Sisters and the Seguin High School band was there and played our fight song. And yes of course, there were TV cameras from the San Antonio TV stations and local reporters present but I barely saw them because all I remember seeing was my family and friends and what looked like the whole community of Seguin welcoming me home.”
That homecoming celebration culminated in hundreds of individuals cheering on their hometown hero and moving the party to the streets.
“As I walked through the airport to leave, there were literally hundreds of people lining my path clapping for me and holding banners,” she said.
“I couldn’t stop crying. And I walked outside to an even bigger crowd cheering, and a limousine that would carry me and my family home with San Antonio police escort and a full parade of everyone from Seguin. We had a huge celebratory procession all the way down Interstate 10. Once we entered Guadalupe County, our Sheriff and several deputies took over the escort and were later joined by members of our Seguin Police Department. Starting miles outside Seguin, there were people on that route standing on the side of the road holding banners. The procession took me down to the Colosseum and outside on the gazebo where we had another full celebration. Then, I received the key to the city from Mayor Betty Jean Jones and a proclamation from the State of Texas from our wonderful State Representative Edmund Kuempel. There were other speeches from our Guadalupe County Judge and Ronald Heinemeyer, my high school principal, as well as Texas and Seguin Junior Miss representatives and I was completely overwhelmed. After that celebration, as I rode in the limo with my parents, VJ and Voncille, and brother Joey back to our house on the east side of Seguin, we passed the high school where there were banners displayed and several businesses that had messages for me on their marquee, and when I turned onto my street, my neighbors had decorated the whole street up to our house with signs and flowers and they were all outside cheering for me. It was a wonderful community moment where I felt like all of us Segunites were celebrating together and I felt very loved.”
Despite the years that have come and gone, Tyler’s footprint remains legendary in the Junior Miss/Distinguished Young Women program, proving to all that anything is possible. Many folks still today recall that moment when they turned to their televisions that night. Others, some much younger, now find themselves searching online for that 1985 video evidence – evidence that they too can do great things if they just work hard and believe in themselves. •
