Miss Kentucky Teen USA


The Miss Kentucky Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss Teen USA pageant.
Although Kentucky has not produced a Miss Teen USA titleholder, five delegates have placed as Top 5 or Top 6: Krista Keith in 1983, Kristi Dawn Hicks in 1989, April Vaughn in 1990, Kristen Johnson in 2000 and Tara Conner in 2002. Their most recent placement was Taylor Hubbard who placed in the Top 15 in 2010.
Reese Burt of Lexington was crowned Miss Kentucky Teen USA 2025 on July 19, 2025, at The Vern Riffe Center for the Arts Shawnee State University in Portsmouth. She represented Kentucky at Miss Teen USA 2025.
WWW misskentuckyusa.com

Eligibility

The participant must be single, legally recognized female, between the ages of fourteen and eighteen years old. Specifically, the contestant has to be under nineteen years old before January 1 of the pageant year. Also, the applicant must have never been married, pregnant, or had a marriage annulled. A contestant can only be eligible if she is a United States citizen and remains a United States citizen throughout the competition at both a state and national level. She must have lived in the state she desires to compete in permanently, at least six months prior to the pageant date, or be a full-time student in the state with one semester completed by December 31 of the pageant year.

Results summary

Placement at Miss Teen USA

  • 1st runner-up: Kristi Dawn Hicks
  • 2nd runners-up: Krista Keith, Kristen Johnson, Tara Conner
  • Top 6: April Vaughn
  • Top 10: Lexie Kemper, Amanda Nunnelley
  • Top 12: Brittany Johnson
  • Top 15: Sarah Withers, Jefra Bland, Taylor Hubbard
Kentucky holds a record of 11 placements at Miss Teen USA.

Awards

  • Miss Photogenic: Lexie Kemper, Kristen Johnson

Winners

YearNameHometownAge1Local titlePlacement at Miss Teen USASpecial awards at Miss Teen USANotes
2025Reese BurtLexington19Miss Keeneland Teen
2024Karlie HolmenGilbertsville17Miss Purchase District Teen
2023MéShyia BradshawElizabethtown17Miss Hardin County Teen
2022Gabriella HembreeCarrollton18Miss Two Rivers City Teen
2021Kennedy MosleyLondon16Miss London Teen
2020Mattie BarkerLouisville17Miss Southern Kentucky Teen
2019Emma JohnsPikeville16Miss Pikeville Teen
2018Jordan CrozierSomerset18Miss Pulaski County Teen
2017Olivia PrewittDanville18Miss Danville Teen
2016Christiaan PrinceGrayson15Miss Carter County Teen
2015Caroline FordBowling Green18Miss South Central Teen
2014Megan DucharmShelbyville18Miss Shelby County Teen
2013Gracie SappLexington15Miss Fayette County Teen
2012Tiffany ClineGeorgetown14Miss Scott County Teen
2011Stephanie JonesElizabethtown18
2010Taylor HubbardLondon15Top 15
2009Jefra BlandCampbellsville19Top 15Later contestant on Survivor: Cagayan
2008Shannen ReilWest Van Lear15
2007Katrina GianniniPrinceton17
2006Tiffany WithrowAshland17
2005Sarah Bryan WithersColumbia18Top 15
2004Megan FrankGreensburg19
2003Amanda NunnelleyLouisville17Top 10
2002Tara ConnerRussell Springs162nd runner-upBody Glove Swimsuit Award
  • Later Miss Kentucky USA 2006
  • Miss USA 2006
  • 4th runner up at Miss Universe 2006
    • 2001Katherine FaulknerHazard17
    2000Kristen JohnsonSlaughters182nd runner-upMiss Photogenic
  • Later Miss Kentucky USA 2005
  • * 2nd runner up at Miss USA 2005
    • 1999Lexie KemperLouisville17Top 10Miss Photogenic
    1998Elizabeth Ann "Lizzie" ArnoldColumbia18
  • Later Miss Kentucky USA 2002
    • 1997Kelli JonesLouisville18
    1996Kelly Marie SodanBerea15
    1995Brittany JohnsonVirgie17Top 12
    1994Crystal HaydenPaducah16
    1993Holly RiggsPaducah15
    1992Heather BoggessPaducah17
    1991Christine JackmanLouisville18
    1990April VaughnLouisville17Top 6
    1989Kristi Dawn HicksBardstown171st runner-up
  • Later Miss Kentucky 1995
    • 1988Marti HendricksDanville19
    1987Tracy Starr MarseeMiddlesboro15
    1986Amy MillerLouisville15
    1985Leanne GregoryLexington15
    1984Suzy NeclerioGeorgetown18
    1983Krista KeithLouisville162nd runner-up
    1 Age at the time of the Miss Teen USA pageant