2027 Lincoln County Distinguished Young Women Program
PRESS RELEASE
Fourteen area senior girls will be competing for the title of 2027 Lincoln County Distinguished Young Woman on Saturday, September 19, at 6:30 p.m. in the Stuart Underwood Auditorium of Lincoln County High School.
These participants will be competing in the five categories of Judges’ Interview, Scholastic Achievement, Talent, Self-expression, and Fitness. Personal interview and scholastics both comprise 25% of each girl’s total score, talent represents 20%, and the remaining categories of self-expression and fitness are both 15% of that score.
The cash scholarships to be awarded during this year’s program total $43,400, which is the top amount offered in any KY program and second nationally.
Four preliminary awards will be given in each of the five areas of competition as well as an overall winner. Preliminary self-expression and fitness winners will receive $525 with the top individual in both receiving $550. Talent preliminary winners will be awarded $625 and $675 will be given to the talent winner.
The participant with the top interview score and the scholastic achievement winner will both earn $1,000 and four $775 scholarships will be given to the remaining top scores in each of these categories. Memorial scholarships will also be awarded during the evening – the $1,000 Phyllis Cooley Spirit Award, the $1,100 Jennifer Baker “Be Your Best Self” Award, and the $1,400 Sheila Underwood “Character Counts” Award. The Nancy Leedy “Friends of Lincoln County DYW” Scholarship will provide six additional cash awards in the amounts of $1,000, $700, $600, $425, $325, and $250.
The winner of the 2027 title will receive a $5,725 cash scholarship. First runner-up in the program will be awarded $4,625; second runner-up will receive $3,625, third runner-up $2,625, and fourth runner-up $1,925.
In addition to the cash scholarships, there is $2,280,358 in college-offered scholarships available to participants in the Distinguished Young Women Program.
The 2027 participants, parent names, and planned talents in number order are: Kaya Jones, daughter of Michelle and Ethan Jones, piano; Haylee Pitman, daughter of Angela and Danny Pitman, Monologue; Alex Jones, daughter of Kim and Dean Jones, vocal; Alexa Estes, daughter of Arika and Devin Estes, painting; Ella Bratcher, daughter of Jamie and Chris Bratcher, speech; Peyton Tillett, daughter of Brittany and Mike Tillett, vocal; Carlee Sneed, daughter of Bridget and Dwight Sneed, monologue; Addison Abbott, daughter of Brooke Hurley and Justin Abbott, piano; Keyera McFarland, daughter of Arlena and Jeremy McFarland, original poem; Makaylee Reed, daughter of Brittany Colvin and Tyler Reed, clarinet; Mia Bodner, daughter of Ashley and Berek Bodner, vocal; Autumn McGuffey, daughter of Megan Dykes, monologue; Alexis Short, daughter of Angel and James Short, gymnastics routine; Alexia Snow, daughter of Jennifer Fox, song performance in ASL.
This year’s winner will succeed Ashlynn Wooton, the 2026 DYW of Lincoln County and our local representative to the KY Distinguished Young Women Program held in January of 2026. The emcee for the evening will be Michelle Rodgers, the 2009 Clark County Junior Miss who won the state title and became America’s Junior Miss. Tickets for the program are $10 and may be purchased in advance by calling (606) 365-9782.
Founded in 1958, Distinguished Young Women is a free program for high school senior girls that encourages participants to reach their full individual potential. The organization’s mission is to empower young women by providing over $1 billion in scholarship opportunities each year, developing their self-confidence in a positive peer environment and participating in Life Skills Workshops that prepare them for success after high school.
