Holly

Holly Thompson, a 16 year old junior at Knott County Central High School was named Miss Elizabethtown Area's Outstanding Teen 2011, on September 25, 2010 at the Hardin County Schools Performing Arts Center. Holly was selected by a panel of 7 judges from a field of 8 contestants. She sang "Anyway" and her platform is Controlling the Pet Population. Holly will compete for the title of Miss Kentucky's Outstanding Teen in June 2011 at the Center for Rural Development in Somerset, Kentucky.

Holly, from Lackey, Kentucky, plans to attend Morehead State University and major in Studio Art with a minor in Music. She is the recipient of a Citizenship Award; Highest GPA in Language Arts; Highest GPA in Visual Arts; and a "Distinguished" in Solos and Ensembles in Honor's Choir. She is Vice-President of the FCCLA Club; a member of the National Art Honor Society; and in 2009 she organized a Benefit Concert and the proceeds of $500 were donated to her High School's Music Department.

Holly is a member of the Honor Choir; was a member of the Kentucky Opry Junior Pros in 2009; recipient of the Karen Slone-Engle Talent Award in 2009 and 2010; she was First Runner-up in the Miss Centralian pageant in 2009 and 2010; placed second in the 17th Annual Cedar Coal Fair 2010 in Music; she was named Knott County Idol and Prestonburg Idol; and Holly won 1st place in the following events: The Gingerbread Festival Talent Contest; Jenkins Homecoming Talent Contest; Greenup County Old Fashioned Days Talent Contest; Apple Day Talent Contest; Mountain Heritage Festival Talent Contest.

Holly has been taking voice lessons at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonburg, Kentucky under the direction of Mrs. Barbara Kelley for three years. She takes ballet with Jody Shepherd at Dance, Etc. She attended the 75th Annual Steven Foster Music Camp at Eastern Kentucky University. She also attended a Vocal "Belting" Workshop with Susan Scott of the Kentucky Opry.

Holly's platform, "Controlling the Pet Population", is truly geared to teaching everyone to be responsible pet owners. She has four family pets, three dogs and one cat, all of which were adopted from animal shelters. In the United States, animal overpopulation is an ever increasing problem. It is estimated 70,000 puppies and kittens are born every 24 hours, resulting in many more animals than there are homes to take care of them. Every year, more than six million of these unwanted pets are taken in by animal shelters. More than half will eventually be euthanized. In Kentucky alone, nearly 285,000 strays and unwanted pets will enter shelters and, sadly, 85% will be put down. Holly is an advocate for pet owners being responsible. It starts with one small step...getting your pets spayed or neutered. Each pet owner can be a part of the solution, simply by getting their pets fixed. It will not only help prevent unwanted litters and save future pet lives, it will also benefit the animal's overall health and well-being. She strongly urges everyone looking for a pet to visit their local shelter, where there are large numbers of loving, affectionate animals waiting to find good homes. If you can save a pet's life, why wouldn't you? Holly recently set up a booth at her local festival's pet show. She and her volunteers wore t-shirts she made, quoting "Prevent A Stray-Spay Today." She crafted animal pendants in the shape of dogs and cats and also made homemade dog treats. The proceeds from the sale of these pins and treats was donated to her local animal shelter.

As Miss Kentucky's/Miss America's Outstanding Teen, Holly would have a stronger voice in educating the public across the State of Kentucky and the entire United States about the importance of being responsible pet owners.