# 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.
Gabriella Hembree of Carrollton was crowned Miss Kentucky Teen USA 2022 on March 26, 2022, at The Center for Rural Development in Somerset. She represented Kentucky at Miss Teen USA 2022 in Reno, Nevada.

## Eligibility

The participant must be a single, legally recognized female between the ages of 14 and 18 years old. Specifically, the contestant has to be under 19 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 runners-up: Kristi Dawn Hicks (1989)
* 2nd runners-up: Krista Keith (1983), Kristen Johnson (2000), Tara Conner (2002)
* Top 6: April Vaughn (1990)
* Top 10: Lexie Kemper (1999), Amanda Nunnelley (2003)
* Top 12: Brittany Johnson (1995)
* Top 15: Sarah Withers (2005), Jefra Bland (2009), Taylor Hubbard (2010)
Kentucky holds a record of 11 placements at Miss Teen USA.

### Awards

* Miss Photogenic: Lexie Kemper (1999), Kristen Johnson (2000)

## Winners

* Declared as Winner
* Ended as runner-up
* Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
| Year | Name | Hometown | Age$^1$ | Placement at Miss Teen USA | Special awards at Miss Teen USA | Notes |
| 2024 | Karlie Holmen | Gilbertsville | 17 | | | |
| 2023 | MéShyia Bradshaw | TBA | 17 | | | |
| 2022 | Gabriella Hembree | Carrollton | 18 | | | |
| 2021 | Kennedy Mosley | London | 16 | | | |
| 2020 | Mattie Barker | Louisville | 17 | | | |
| 2019 | Emma Johns | Pikeville | 16 | | | |
| 2018 | Jordan Crozier | Somerset | 18 | | | |
| 2017 | Olivia Prewitt | Danville | 18 | | | |
| 2016 | Christiaan Prince | Grayson | 15 | | | |
| 2015 | Caroline Ford | Bowling Green | 18 | | | |
| 2014 | Megan Ducharm | Shelbyville | 18 | | | |
| 2013 | Gracie Sapp | Lexington | 15 | | | |
| 2012 | Tiffany Cline | Georgetown | 14 | | | |
| 2011 | Stephanie Jones | Elizabethtown | 18 | | | |
| 2010 | Taylor Hubbard | London | 15 | Top 15 | | |
| 2009 | Jefra Bland | Campbellsville | 19 | Top 15 | | Later contestant on Survivor: Cagayan |
| 2008 | Shannen Reil | West Van Lear | 15 | | | |
| 2007 | Katrina Giannini | Princeton | 17 | | | |
| 2006 | Tiffany Withrow | Ashland | 17 | | | |
| 2005 | Sarah Bryan Withers | Columbia | 18 | Top 15 | | |
| 2004 | Megan Frank | Greensburg | 19 | | | |
| 2003 | Amanda Nunnelley | Louisville | 17 | Top 10 | | |
| 2002 | Tara Conner | Russell Springs | 16 | 2nd runner-up | Body Glove Swimsuit Award | Later Miss Kentucky USA 2006 and Miss USA 2006, 4th runner up at Miss Universe 2006 |
| 2001 | Katherine Faulkner | Hazard | 17 | | | |
| 2000 | Kristen Johnson | Slaughters | 18 | 2nd runner-up | Miss Photogenic | Later Miss Kentucky USA 2005, 2nd runner up at Miss USA 2005 |
| 1999 | Lexie Kemper | Louisville | 17 | Top 10 | Miss Photogenic | |
| 1998 | Elizabeth Arnold | Columbia | 18 | | | Later Miss Kentucky USA 2002 |
| 1997 | Kelli Jones | Louisville | 18 | | | |
| 1996 | Kelly Marie Sodan | Berea | 15 | | | |
| 1995 | Brittany Johnson | Virgie | 17 | Top 12 | | |
| 1994 | Crystal Hayden | Paducah | 16 | | | |
| 1993 | Holly Riggs | Paducah | 15 | | | |
| 1992 | Heather Boggess | Paducah | 17 | | | |
| 1991 | Christine Jackman | Louisville | 18 | | | |
| 1990 | April Vaughn | Louisville | 17 | Top 6 | | |
| 1989 | Kristi Dawn Hicks | Bardstown | 17 | 1st runner-up | | Later Miss Kentucky 1995 |
| 1988 | Marti Hendricks | Danville | 19 | | | |
| 1987 | Tracey Marsee | Middlesboro | 16 | | | |
| 1986 | Amy Miller | Louisville | 15 | | | |
| 1985 | Leanne Gregory | Lexington | 15 | | | |
| 1984 | Suzy Neclerio | Georgetown | 18 | | | |
| 1983 | Krista Keith | Louisville | 16 | 2nd runner-up | | |
$^1$ Age at the time of the Miss Teen USA pageant