A young Cary woman was named first runner-up in the America's Junior Miss Competition on June 28 in Mobile, Alabama.

Helen Ching, 18, of Cary said that her martial arts exhibition helped her clench the talent portion of the contest. She said no girl has ever gotten to the finals with that talent.

"It makes me feel very unique and I think it's a great way for me to express myself and share with the audience," Ching said.

Helen received many awards, and when all of her contest winnings are totaled, she managed to win more than $40,000 in scholarship money for college.

Ching said she is excited to use her 12 years of experience in martial arts to pass on her love for the sport.

"What I really want to do is show the girls in the audience that they too can study martial arts and excel in it. You don't have to be a boy to be good at something like Tae Kwon Do," Ching said.

Michael Wegmann, a master martial arts instructor, said Ching stands out among the rest.

"She sets a great example for young women who want to participate in martial arts but consider it a male activity," Wegmann said.

Ching plans to begin classes at UNC in Chapel Hill in August, and she said she will continue supporting martial arts and the America's Junior Miss program while stressing the importance of education to other young women.