An immense feeling of pride.
That’s what Layla Blevins felt when she was awarded with the title of Casey County’s Distinguished Young Woman of 2026.
“When they called my name, I felt so grateful and was so excited that I got to be the representative from Casey County this year,” she said.
Blevins and the four other participants competed Sept. 7 at Casey County High School.
Blevins won multiple categories, including: spirit award, also awarded to Kloe May; interview award; scholastics award; and the overall winner.
The spirit award was voted on by the participants. It indicated who had the most spirit of a distinguished young woman.
The interview was a 10-minute, standing interview in front of five judges. The judges got to know her better and assessed her ability to communicate; they asked about her bio, as well as local, state and national current events.
The scholastics portion was judged based on Blevins’ academic achievements, including her grade point average, the rigor of her curriculum and her standardized test scores.
The DYW program uses five categories for scoring to determine the overall winner: Scholastics (25%), Interview (25%), Talent (20%), Fitness (15%) and Self-Expression (15%).
Blevins also showcased her artistic ability during the talent competition by completing a speed drawing of a luna moth using pastel chalk.
“I chose the luna moth because it’s a symbol of new beginnings and good luck,” she said. “This is a reminder to live life to our fullest every day because our life is fragile and can change in an instant.”
The other categories and award winners were:
Fitness award: awarded to Kylie Fortney
Talent award: awarded to Kloe May
Self-expression award: awarded to Cierra Couch
Be Your Best Self Award: awarded to Addison Harris
Blevins was “incredibly proud” of all the other competitors.
“Everyone was so amazing,” she said, “and I will never forget the memories we made together.”
Blevins said a lot went into preparing for the county program, including choreography, interviews and push-ups.
Because of her win at the local DYW, Blevins will compete at the state competition held at the University of Kentucky’s Singletary Center for the Arts in Lexington on Jan. 8-9.
She plans to practice more on her interviewing skills and her on-stage questions for the state competition. She noted that many people have helped her during this process.
“I could not have done it without my support group,” Blevins said, noting in particular former DYW winner Karey Sellers, her parents (Josh and Lindsay Blevins), and the other girls.
Blevins was extremely happy with this “unforgettable, life-changing experience.”
“Overall, DYW got me to try things I never would have before,” Blevins said. “It has made me grow and be more confident. I will forever be grateful for that.”
