What began as a childhood dream in a small-town pageant became a reality Saturday night as 20-year-old Kennedy Holland of Greenwood was crowned Miss Arkansas 2025.

“I’m so excited to represent the Miss Arkansas organization in the state of Arkansas over the next year,” Holland said at a news conference at the Robinson Center in Little Rock on Sunday morning. “It’s been a dream come true, and a dream in the making for several years, and I’m so excited to join the sisterhood.”

After a week of competing in preliminary rounds for the title, Holland told members of the media she felt at peace because she knew that whichever woman of the 47 contestants was crowned the next Miss Arkansas would excel in the role. She said her sense of calm came from her faith in God and the profound appreciation she had for her opponents.

“I prayed at the beginning of the week that God would just give me an overwhelming sense of peace that is only described and explained by him, and that’s what I felt the whole week,” Holland said Sunday as she discussed her achievement.

In addition to her faith, Holland spoke about how her mother has stuck by her side throughout her pageant journey. A moment she specifically recalled on Sunday is how her mother supported her in 2021 while Holland was competing for the Miss Arkansas Teen title and learned that her school principal had just died in a car accident.

“In that moment, I knew that I had a job to do, and I knew that I had a job to compete for, but I was also distraught,” Holland said. “And so, having my mom be there for me in that moment was so special and so necessary. I’m so thankful for her. She has absolutely helped me to this place in such a special and huge way.”

JOURNEY TO THE CROWN

Holland said her dream of becoming Miss Arkansas began at 5 years old after winning the Sebastian County Fair pageant. While she beamed with excitement following the victory, her mother had, however, kept one important detail from her young daughter: Holland had been the only contestant in her age group.

Keeping that secret, in turn, provided the young Holland with the confidence to feel comfortable competing in pageants that led to her journey to Miss Arkansas.

At 14 years old, she was eligible to compete in Miss Arkansas Teen — formerly titled Miss Arkansas Outstanding Teen — and used it as an outlet to share her vocal talent on stage and in front of an audience. From the start, she felt as though the stage was where she belonged.

“It was really the only thing I was good at at the time,” Holland said with a laugh during Sunday’s news conference. “I could not form a sentence on stage or in an interview, it was really quite embarrassing. But I’ve grown so much since then.”

Following years of competing for Miss Arkansas Teen, Holland earned the titles of Miss Dogwood 2023, Miss University of Central Arkansas 2024 and Miss Metro 2025.

She competed for the Miss Arkansas title three times, with each attempt driven by that first victory as a child as well as a desire to make a positive impact on Arkansas. After 15 years of pageantry experience, she secured the Miss Arkansas title, proving that on occasion, the third time is the charm.

A MISSION FOR IMPACT

Holland’s social impact initiative as part of her Miss Arkansas platform is Compassion Legacy, a nonprofit that strives to make public spaces more accessible and inclusive for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

She began the initiative during the covid-19 pandemic after something caught her eye while she was walking at a local park.

“The concrete was busted, the grass was grown up. It was completely isolated,” Holland said Sunday. “There was nothing else around this swing, and it really made me think about the kids that should be using the swing, but they can’t. And even if it were in perfect condition, it’s so isolated from the rest of the play structure that their experience is going to be tainted, and it’s not going to be the experience that other kids are going to get.”

Over the next year, Holland said she will advocate for universal design equipment so that “children of all abilities, not just kids with disabilities, can all play together.” To advance the organization’s mission, she said she hopes to meet with Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to create legislation that requires accessible playground equipment across the state.

THE BIG REVEAL

After Miss Arkansas 2025 pageant emcee and former KATV news anchor Chris Kane announced the event’s finalists on Saturday evening, the once-lively crowd in attendance fell silent as Holland and first runner-up Camryn Ross faced one another with eyes closed.

“In that moment, when I was holding hands with Camryn Ross, I knew that she would do a phenomenal job, but I would also do a phenomenal job as well,” Holland said Sunday. “And so, I just had peace knowing that either one of us would take the job, and take the role and run with it this year.”

Holland said she thanks the Miss Arkansas Foundation and other members of the organization for shaping her into the woman she is today.

“I hope to impact so many Arkansans,” Holland said as the Sunday news conference concluded. “I hope to reach every single corner of our state. I hope to bring so many new sponsors to the Miss Arkansas organization. I hope to see new places and meet new people that the Miss Arkansas organization hasn’t touched yet. And I … hope to have an incredible and unique year as Miss Arkansas.”

As part of Saturday’s victory, Holland was awarded over $36,000 in scholarships, which adds to the thousands of dollars in scholarship earnings she has already received for her education. Additionally, she has been awarded the Overall Service Above Self Award, the Journalism & Mass Communication Profession Scholarship and other preliminary awards, according to a news release.

After she fulfills her Miss Arkansas duties, Holland will continue to pursue a communications major and a special education minor at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. After graduation, she hopes to obtain a master’s degree in nonprofit management.

In the meantime, the Miss Arkansas title will keep Holland busy, as she will dedicate her time to making a lasting and positive impact on the state.