Persistence paid off for Kenleigh Garner.
Garner, a 21-year old Arkansas Tech University senior from Hot Springs, was crowned the 70th Miss Arkansas Tech during a scholarship pageant at Witherspoon Auditorium on Friday, Feb. 6.
She won the Miss Arkansas Tech crown in her third and final try. Garner was second runner-up in 2024 and third runner-up in 2025.
“It feels amazing,” said Garner moments after receiving the Miss Arkansas Tech crown. “Three years of hard work have paid off for this moment. I had not been in the pageant world for a couple of years, so it was a lot of work and a lot of re-learning how the Miss America organization had changed and what it had turned into. It took many, many years to finally get to this point.”
Daughter of Carey and Chris Garner, the new Miss Arkansas Tech is majoring in communication at ATU. Her sponsor for the competition was Phi Mu.
“It has given me a sisterhood like no other,” said Garner when asked about her journey to the crown. “I have made some of my best friends through this organization, and I could not be more honored to represent this university for the next year.”
Garner won the Lindsey Ahrens McCrary Vocal, on-stage interview, evening wear and leadership awards during the 2026 Miss Tech competition.
Her talent was a vocal performance of “Maybe This Time.” Garner’s community service initiative is “Empowering Voices for All.”
As Miss Arkansas Tech, Garner will represent her university in the 2026 Miss Arkansas pageant this summer in Little Rock. It will be her second Miss Arkansas appearance. Garner qualified for the 2025 Miss Arkansas pageant as Miss Petit Jean Valley 2025.
“It means everything…it absolutely means everything,” said Garner when asked the importance to her of representing ATU at Miss Arkansas. “I’m so excited to go back to Miss Arkansas.”
Among the prizes that Garner receives as Miss Tech is a two-semester tuition scholarship at Arkansas Tech. In all, almost $25,000 in gifts and scholarships were awarded during the 2026 Miss Arkansas Tech pageant.
Faith Kelly of North Little Rock was the was first runner-up. She won the Nona Dirksmeyer Memorial Talent Award and the Instrumentalist/Artistic/Spoken Word Award in the 2026 Miss Arkansas Tech pageant.
Savannah Brown of Rison (second runner-up), Damaris Castaneda of Clarksville (third runner-up) and Kylee Lineberry of Alma (fourth runner-up) rounded out the top five among the 11-contestant field.
Akira Forrest-Mock of Clarksville won the Virginia Bachman Scholastic Achievement Award as the contestant with the highest grade point average. Kennedy Stroud of Benton captured the Kristen Hayes Atchley Dance Award. The contestants selected Gianna James of Russellville as the winner of the Dr. Jim Collins Miss Congeniality Award.
Other contestants in the 70th Miss Arkansas Tech pageant were Amanda Carson of Russellville, Trinity Emmons of Russellville and Rose Gunther of Bigelow.
