Portia Hollis, of Gulf Shores, was crowned the 2026 Distinguished Young Woman of Baldwin County at the annual program held at Coastal Alabama Community College in Bay Minette.

Hollis was selected from 13 participants competing for the title and the opportunity to represent Baldwin County at the state competition in January.

Along with the honor, Hollis received a $3,000 cash tuition scholarship and a $100 gift certificate from Rachel Lindell Photography. She also earned recognition as a preliminary winner for self-expression and took home the Bob & Sue Stanley Spirit Award, the Be Your Best Self Essay award, and the Community Service Award, adding additional scholarship funds to her winnings.

The top five finalists included Kathleen Harris, first runner-up, who earned a $2,500 scholarship; Emma Kate South, second runner-up, with a $2,300 scholarship; Sadie Langham, third runner-up, with a $2,100 scholarship; and Veronica Farlow, fourth runner-up, who received a $2,000 scholarship.

Judges scored contestants across five categories: scholastics (25%), interview (25%), talent (20%), fitness (15%) and self-expression (15%). In addition to preliminary scholarship awards, participants received recognition through a variety of awards including the “Has Been” Award, Be Your Best Self, the Bob & Sue Stanley Spirit of DYW Award, and local and college-granted scholarships. Each preliminary award winner received a $500 cash tuition scholarship.

Contestants showcased a wide range of talents, including dance, piano, vocal and dramatic performances, as well as fiddle playing. During the self-expression portion, participants shared their passions for causes and careers. The interviews and scholastic evaluations took place prior to the evening program.

Preliminary award winners included Kathleen Harris and Sadie Langham for talent; Emma Kate South for interview; Kathleen Harris for scholastics; Sadie Langham and Veronica Farlow for fitness; and Emma Kate South and Portia Hollis for self-expression. Jenna Reiter earned a scholarship from Coastal Alabama Community College, while Mary Frances Key received the Has-Been Scholarship Award.

Other recognitions included Kathleen Harris for selling the most tickets, Veronica Farlow for most ad sales, and Maggie Rae Brown and Harris tied for most monetary ad sales.

The Distinguished Young Women of Alabama program for 2025 is scheduled for Jan. 23-24, 2026, at Frazer Church (Wesley Hall) in Montgomery. The state winner will advance to the national contest, set for June 25-27, 2026, in Mobile.