News Release
Seventeen area senior girls will be competing for the title of 2026 Lincoln County Distinguished Young Woman on Saturday, September 27th, 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 $42,000, 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. Three memorial scholarships will also be awarded during the program – 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 2026 title will receive a $5,925 cash scholarship. First runner-up in the program will be awarded $4,825; second runner-up will receive $3,825, third runner-up $2,825, and fourth runner-up $2,125.
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 17 participants in number order, parents’ names, and planned talents are: Hailee Hardy, daughter of Kimberly and Ken Harris, vocal/instrumental;
Maddie Cassidy, daughter of Samantha and Rick Cassidy, monologue; Kaitlyn Yocum, daughter of Becky and Keith Yocum, monologue; Sarina Caudill, daughter of Anita and Roy Caudill, piano; Carlee Weaver, daughter of Jamie and Coby Jenkins, tap dance; Kristina Silverthorn, daughter of Rhonda and Neil Silverthorn, vocal; Abby Bastin, daughter of Melanie and Nick Bastin, original poem; Callie Toohey, daughter of Rebecca and Charles Toohey, vocal; Kamryn Downs, daughter of Jennifer and Juston Heizer, gymnastics routine; Shelby Smith, daughter of Mary and Travis Smith, monologue; Audrey Foster, daughter of Jennifer and Daniel Foster, vocal;
Shelby Howard, daughter of April and Shannon Howard, speech; Madilynn Shepperson, daughter of Vanessa and Richard Shepperson, monologue; Ashlynn Wooten, daughter of Amber Conkwright and Jeremy Conkwright, monologue; Annabelle Stephens, daughter of Amanda and Loral Richardson and Tyra and Doug Stephens, vocal/instrumental; Raelee Lawson, daughter of Hannah and Tyler Lawson, CPR demonstration; and Brooklyn Sexton, daughter of Brittany Shackleford and Makayla and Gregory Sexton, vocal.
This year’s winner will succeed Alayna Bodner, the 2025 DYW of Lincoln County and our local representative to the KY Distinguished Young Women Program held in January of 2025. The emcee for the evening will be Michelle Rodgers, the 2009 Clark County Junior Miss who won our state title and became America’s Junior Miss. Tickets for the program 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.
