Every summer for the past seven decades, 50 high school seniors—one from every state—descend on Mobile, Alabama to take part in one of the country’s most lucrative scholarship competitions for teen girls.

The Competition takes you behind the scenes of the Distinguished Young Women (DYW) program, and follows seven girls as they experience the highs and lows of competing for two weeks, away from home and under the most high-stress circumstances. Some girls enter for the money, some for prestige. All of them are used to being the best and the brightest. But only one will walk away with the top prize.

Host Shima Oliaee (Dolly Parton’s America, Pink Card) was Nevada’s contestant in 2001. More than 20 years later, she returns to Alabama as a judge. What can two weeks with 50 of the country’s most ambitious teens tell us about girlhood in America?

Listen to The Competition on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes early and ad-free right now on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial by visiting Wondery.fm/The_Competition now.

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In 2006, Sonia Rios was dubbed by local media as the "The Black Widow of Lomita," after her second husband, Navy officer Larry Risken, was fatally shot while visiting her family in the Philippines. Sonia's first husband, U.S. Marine Earl Bourdeau, was fatally shot in the head 19 years earlier. Then in 2007, Sonia Rios was also murdered under suspiciously similar circumstances. “48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant reports. This classic "48 Hours" episode last aired on 8/1/2009. Watch all-new episodes of “48 Hours” on Saturdays, and stream on demand on Paramount+.

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On the day that Helen Hargan and her mother Pamela were found dead, Helen Hargan's boyfriend Carlos spent hours convincing 911 dispatchers to send help to the Hargan house. By the time police arrived, it was too late. Police were given two versions of the morning: one where Helen was scared for her life, and one where she was likely the killer. But Carlos' story, along with the weapon placement at the crime scene, would blow a hole in the theory that the Hargan killings were a murder-suicide.

Get early, ad-free access to episodes of Blood is Thicker: The Hargan Family Killings by subscribing to 48 Hours Plus on Apple Podcasts or Wondery+ on the Wondery app. The series is widely available everywhere else you get your podcasts.

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