The Miss Kansas Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kansas in the Miss Teen USA pageant. This pageant has been part of the Vanbros organisation since 1992, and in 2006, they celebrated their fifteen-year anniversary with a reunion of former titleholders at the 2007 pageant. For the first time, all the judges for both the Miss Kansas USA and Miss Kansas Teen USA pageants were former titleholders from the Vanbros states: Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Nebraska.
Prior to 1994, the pageant was held concurrently with the Miss Kansas USA event, which was hosted by Kansas City. In 1994, the pageant was moved to Wichita. In 2000, the pageant directors moved the event to the small town of Maize, just outside Wichita, where it was also held the following year, before it was brought back to Wichita proper from 2002 to 2003. The pageant was held in Overland Park for the first time in 2004 and also in 2005. In 2006, it moved to Lawrence.
Kansas had a slow start at Miss Teen USA, and did not place until 1991. Despite this, they placed extremely well in the 1990s, with one semi-finalist placing, one finalist placing, two 2nd runner-up placings and one winner, and were in fact the second highest placed state in that decade. Latasha Laine Lawrie brought Kansas back into the placings in the 21st century with her finalist placing in 2005. She also won the Miss Photogenic award, the only major award won by a Kansas teen.
Eight Kansas teens have gone on to win the Miss Kansas USA crown. The most successful, and most notable of these was Danielle Boatwright, who placed 2nd runner-up to Miss Teen USA, 1st runner-up to Miss USA and won the reality TV show Survivor: Guatemala.
In 1995, Keylee Sue Sanders won the national crown in Wichita, Kansas making Kansas the only state to win the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA titles in their home state.
Dia Kearney of Wichita was crowned Miss Kansas Teen USA 2026 on June 7, 2026, at Polsky Theater in Overland Park. She will represent Kansas at Miss Teen USA 2026.
Results summary
Placements Miss Teen USA: Keylee Sue Sanders (1995), Hailey Colborn (2018) 2nd runners-up: Danielle "Danni" Boatwright (1992), Melissa Hurtig (1994) 3rd runners-up: Taylor Clark (2011) Top 6: Mariah Bergmann (1997) Top 10: LaTasha Lawrie (2005), Gentry Miller (2006), Jaymie Stokes (2007) Top 12: Denise Blatchford (1991) Top 15/16: Katie Taylor (2012), Alyssa Klinzing (2013), Hannah DeBok (2019), Gracie Hendrickson (2022) Kansas holds a record of 14 placements at Miss Teen USA.
Awards Miss Photogenic: LaTasha Lawrie (2005) Style Award: Mandy Carraway (1996) Best in Activewear: Brilee Garret (2024) Best in Interview: Brilee Garret (2024)
Winners
Year Name HometownAge1 Local title Placement at Miss Teen USA Special awards at Miss Teen USA Notes 2026 Dia Kearney Wichita TBA Miss ICT Teen 2025 Emma Mayfield Overland Park 18 Miss South Central KS Teen 2024 Brilee Garret Wichita 17 Miss ICT Teen Top 10Best in Interview Best in Activewear 2023 Riley Steinman Shawnee 19 Miss Shawnee Teen 2022 Gracie Hendrickson Newton 17 Miss Harvey County Teen Top 16Previously Princess of America Junior Ambassador 2018 Previously Miss Kansas' Outstanding Teen 2021 2021 Madilynn Becker Herington 17 Miss Herington Teen Later Miss Kansas USA 2026 2020 Cyara Heredia Liberal 18 Miss Liberal Teen 2019 Hannah DeBok Olathe 17 Miss West Olathe Teen Top 15 2018 Hunter Fraley Pittsburg 18 Miss Pittsburg Teen colspan="2" Originally first runner-up, succeeded Colborn when she won Miss Teen USA 2018 Hailey Colborn Wichita 17 Miss Greater Wichita Teen Miss Teen USA 2018 2017 Malerie Moore Olathe 16 Miss South Overland Park Teen Sister of Miss Kansas Teen USA 2016, Madison Moore 2016 Madison Moore 17 Miss Olathe Teen Sister of Miss Kansas Teen USA 2017, Malerie Moore 2015 Melanie Shaner Overland Park 17 Miss Johnson County Teen Later Miss Kansas USA 20182014 Claire-Bailey Lee Andover 17 Miss Andover Teen Daughter of Miss Kansas USA 1986, Audra Ockerman 2013 Alyssa Klinzing Olathe 15 Miss Kansas City Teen Top 16 Later Miss Kansas USA 2019 Top 10 at Miss USA 2019 2012 Katie Taylor 18 Miss Southern Johnson County Teen 2011 Taylor Clark Topeka 17 Miss Topeka Teen 3rd runner-up 2010 Olivia Harlan Mission Hills 17 Miss Johnson County Teen A reporter on ESPN and the SEC Network, Daughter of Kevin Harlan, an American television sports announcer and granddaughter of Bob Harlan, former Green Bay Packers executive 2009 Alexis Rewalt Olathe 18 Miss Johnson County Teen Later Miss Kansas United States 2013 2008 Jessie Colonna Leawood 17 Miss East Leawood Teen 2007 Jaymie Stokes Lenexa 16 Miss Lenexa Teen Top 10 Later Miss Kansas USA 2011 2006 Gentry Linn Miller Wichita 18 Miss Mid Kansas Teen Later Miss Kansas USA 2012 2005 LaTasha Lawrie 18 Miss Wichita Teen Miss Photogenic 2004 Carissa Dawn Kelley Winfield 17 Miss Winfield Teen Later Miss Kansas 2011 2003 Megan Price Garden City 18 Miss Garden City Teen 2002 Amber Nicole Ross Manhattan 17 Miss Manhattan Teen 2001 Lindsey Mackey Olathe 16 Miss S. Johnson County Teen 2000 Sarah Collett Jump Wichita 16 Contestant at National Sweetheart 2005 1999 Grace Shibley 19 1998 Ashley Tessendorf Manhattan 17 Miss Manhattan Teen 1997 Mariah Bergmann Haysville 18 Top 6 1996 Mandy Carraway Wichita 18 Miss Central Kansas Teen Style Award Later Miss Kansas USA 1999 Mother of Miss Teen USA 2025 Mailyn Marsh 1995 Keylee Sue Sanders Louisburg 18 Miss Lawrence Teen Miss Teen USA 1995 Former co-director of the Miss California USA and Miss California Teen USA pageants under her married name, Keylee Sanders-Hochberg 1994 Melissa Hurtig Courtland 18 2nd runner-up 1993 Christy Dippre Augusta 17 Miss Augusta Teen 1992 Danielle "Danni" Boatwright Tonganoxie 17 2nd runner-up Later Miss Kansas USA 1996 1st runner up at Miss USA 1996 Sports broadcaster and winner of Survivor: Guatemala 1991 Denise Blatchford Arkansas City 17 Semi-finalist 1990 Carrie Williams Wichita 18 1989 Tracey Knop 19 1988 Jennifer Estes 19 1987 Stephanie Resnick Whitewater 17 1986 Kimberlee E. Girrens Wichita 18 Later Miss Kansas USA 1992, Top 6 finalist at Miss USA 1992 Mrs. Kansas America 2004 under her married name, Kimberlee Easter. 1985 Tammy Lampton 15 1984 Nancy Mardis 16 1983 Melissa Lyczak Russell 16 1 Age at the time of the Miss Teen USA pageant
References
External links Official website