Kenzie Smith attends the Miss Ohio Volunteer 2026 pageant orientation in Easton in August. (Photo Provided)

MARIETTA — After years of participating in local pageants, Marietta native Kenzie Smith is stepping onto the state stage, representing her hometown in the upcoming Miss Ohio Volunteer 2026 pageant on Aug. 16 in New Albany.

Smith has competed in the Queen Genevieve pageant during the Ohio River Sternwheel Festival the past two years, earning first runner up each time. She’s been the Washington County Fair Queen, participated in Miss Holly Days in Vienna and was part of the American Miss pageant when she was younger.

She said she was inspired by a friend’s Instagram post to join this larger pageant.

“I’ve always done local pageants, and I thought this was a great way to get my foot in the door with the national-level pageant,” Smith said. “I’ve been spending the last couple months just preparing for this great opportunity.”

Despite her experience with pageants, Smith said she doesn’t see herself as a typical pageant contestant.

Kenzie Smith poses for a picture in front of a train car during a family trip to Alaska in June. (Photo Provided)

“I’m very much a small-town kind of girl,” Smith said. “My friends call me a country bumpkin. I mean, I’ve ridden horses. I’ve been in the county fair for many years. I was in 4-H. I really bring, I think, a different side of authenticity to this. I feel like a lot of these girls are so trained and polished, and they know what they’re doing.”

She said the pageant will be judged equally across four categories: interview, fitness and wellness, talent and evening gown. For her talent, she said she has chosen a musical theater number.

“I’ve been doing musical theater forever. I’ve always sang, and I kind of wanted to give the audience a little bit of everything,” she said. “There’s a little bit of a reveal. I won’t give too much away, but there’s a reveal, and it’s gonna be pretty exciting.”

Smith said preparation has been intense, especially for the fitness portion. She said her boyfriend and fitness coach Tyler Workman has been helping reach her gym goals.

“Ever since I signed up, I’ve been in the gym almost every day,” Smith said. “I’ve lost 11 pounds for this pageant. I really just put myself into it and really set a goal for myself, and I passed that goal.”

After years of participating in local pageants, Marietta native Kenzie Smith is stepping onto the state stage, representing her hometown in the upcoming Miss Ohio Volunteer 2026 pageant on Aug. 16 in New Albany. (Photo Provided)

She said her preparation has also included working with her two coaches: Jessica Baldwin, a voice coach, and Chelsi Rose, a pageant coach.

“(Rose) has just been an overall help, and really has set me up to succeed in this pageant. She’s also done a lot of my internet, like my social media help,” she said, noting that social media presence is now a key part of pageant judging.

She said with this help, her goals are clear: to win.

“We have been working so hard these past couple months, really getting me ready for this pageant. I would be ecstatic to win,” Smith said. “I would be ecstatic to get in the top three. I really just want to win something. I want to prove that if I can do it, a country girl that’s never done a pageant like this before, if they put in the hard work and they put in the time, that they can do it, and they can succeed in pageants like this.”

She said another major part of the competition is volunteerism, with every local title holder having their own service initiative. She said she is working with the organization Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) for people with food allergies.

After years of participating in local pageants, Marietta native Kenzie Smith is stepping onto the state stage, representing her hometown in the upcoming Miss Ohio Volunteer 2026 pageant on Aug. 16 in New Albany. (Photo Provided)

“I have a raffle going on right now that I’m raising money for FARE, and in the spring, I’ll be having a golf outing for them as well.”

Information on how to purchase a raffle ticket can be found on Smith’s Instagram at: miss.kenziesmith. She said she may have to put those efforts on hold if she wins.

“If I would win Miss Ohio Volunteer, I would have to kind of put my own service initiative to the side and take over the organization’s service initiative, which is the Salvation Army,” Smith said.

She said volunteering is at the core of everything she does in life.

“It means everything to me. It’s the heart of who I am,” Smith said. “I have been volunteering for countless organizations for years, through 4-H, through my sorority and now through this pageant. It’s always been so important to me to give back without expecting anything in return. If you have time, you can go volunteer. If you have an hour, you can go to the Humane Society and go walk a dog and spend some time helping them.”

After years of participating in local pageants, Marietta native Kenzie Smith is stepping onto the state stage, representing her hometown in the upcoming Miss Ohio Volunteer 2026 pageant on Aug. 16 in New Albany. (Photo Provided)

She said the winner of the pageant will receive a $5,000 scholarship and that money would greatly help with her future goals at Muskingum University and beyond.

“I’m currently studying criminal justice, psychology and political science, and I would love a scholarship to help me pay for school and for continuing my education after graduation,” Smith said. “I hope to go to the police academy. So I’ve got big plans, and it’s not completely free, so I’m trying to get there as best I can.”

As the pageant approaches, she said she remains grateful and excited.

“I can’t wait. It’s gonna be a great weekend, and it could potentially change my life, or any of the girls that are also competing,” she said.

She said she will be competing against nine other contestants from across Ohio, with the possibility of winning additional scholarships through the People’s Choice award.

Kenzie Smith, right, with Miss Belpre 2025 Shyanna Miller at this year’s Belpre Homecoming. Smith will be competing in the Miss Ohio Volunteer 2026 in New Albany on Aug. 16. (Photo Provided)

“I’m currently in first place for people’s choice,” Smith said. “Which is so amazing, and I’m just so grateful and ecstatic about that.”

People can vote for Smith at the People’s Choice link at missohiovolunteer.net. It’s also a fundraising effort, with visitors able to click on her picture and donate $1 for one vote.

Smith said she credits her coaches and family for her success and thanked them for their support.

“They have been such a huge channel this whole time,” Smith said. “My mom’s been to countless dress try-ons, has helped me pick out outfits, just practiced with me as well. And then my sister (Lyanna Smith), even though she’s been in Japan this whole summer, she’s been kind of my emotional support. If I ever have a problem or question, I call her.”

With her hard work, support system, authenticity and community spirit, Smith said she’s ready to take the stage and inspire others to follow their dreams.

“I’m going into this for the first time with an open mind, just ready to go and bring that country kind of shine to the judges,” Smith said.

Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com.

Kenzie Smith picks flowers at Wild Roots Flower Co. in Marietta in July. (Photo Provided)

Kenzie Smith holds a snake at the Marietta Reptile Expo in July. (Photo Provided)

Kenzie Smith delivered cookies to the Marietta fire station for First Responders Week. Smith will be competing in the Miss Ohio Volunteer 2026 pageant in New Albany on Aug. 16. (Photo Provided)