Zhafira “Fifi” Pramitha, a senior at James E. Taylor High School, has been named the 2026 Distinguished Young Woman of Texas, according to an email sent to the Katy Times by Bri Thomas and Katie Fry, state co-chairs for the organization. Pramitha will represent Texas this June at the National Distinguished Young Women Program in Mobile, Alabama, the email said.

Pramitha maintains a 4.6 GPA and earned a 34 on the ACT, placing her among the highest-achieving students in the state and nation. Through the Distinguished Young Women program—one of the country’s largest and most respected scholarship organizations for young women—she excelled in Interview, Scholastics, and Fitness.

In addition to her academic accomplishments, Pramitha is a fifth-degree level two black belt and the youngest woman in the country to earn that distinction. She is also the founder of the nonprofit “Guard Like a Girl,” where she empowers young women through leadership development and self-defense advocacy.

“As State Co-Chair for the Distinguished Young Women of Texas program, I have had the opportunity to work with many talented students, and Fifi truly represents the very best of our community,” said Bri Thomas. “Her story highlights academic excellence, discipline, leadership, and service—values that reflect positively on Katy and Houston as a whole.”

Distinguished Young Women of Texas (DYW) is a nonprofit scholarship program that helps high school young women develop skills for life through scholarship, leadership, and personal growth, according to its website. Since 1958, DYW has reached more than 765,000 young women nationwide, empowering them to grow in confidence, communication, and purpose. Throughout the program, participants take part in community service projects, life skills workshops, and personal development sessions that cover topics like interview skills, resume writing, financial literacy, and even entrepreneurship.

To participate in the program, young women are typically high school juniors or seniors who can enter local or at-large programs at no cost. The DYW program awards significant scholarships at both the state and national levels. In Texas last year the state-level scholarship awarded was $3,000. To learn more, go to https://distinguished-young-women-of-texas.square.site.