Kyleigh Lynette, formerly Kyleigh Alkire, a 2010 New Palestine High School graduate is currently running for the title of Mrs. Indiana, which will be crowned in April of 2024.
HANCOCK COUNTY — Even though she has no background in any kind of pageant competition, Kyleigh Lynette, formerly of New Palestine, is running for the title of Mrs. Indiana, which will be decided during a pageant in April of 2024.
Lynette, 32, (formerly known as Kyleigh Alkire) is a 2010 New Palestine High School graduate who refers to herself as more of a “Tomboy” who played soccer and golf while in high school rather than competing in any kind of pageant. Still, she decided to enter the 2024 Mrs. Indiana contest because it sounded like a fun and challenging thing to do.
“Me and a friend of mine decided we wanted to do this together last year, but I ended up getting pregnant last year with my second child, so I had to drop out,” Lynette said.
Her friend, Jessica Sarlls, went on to win the competition and is the current Mrs. Indiana 2023. Sarlls encouraged Lynette to go for the title this year, so she is.
“I decided I’d go ahead and keep my word and be a part of the pageant, but a year later,” Lynette said. “So here we are next year and I’m doing this, and even though I am doing it by myself, I’m going to push through.”
Lynette noted the Mrs. Indiana contest will be like other pageants with formal wear as well as a swimsuit competition segment.
“What you see on television associated with pageants is what we will also have to do,” Lynette said. “We’ll go through an interview segment the night before the competition, which is 50% of your score, with the swimsuit being 25% and the formal wear will be the rest of the score.”
The contest is part of a larger competition which includes a Miss Indiana and Mrs. Indiana American winner as well.
“All three ladies represent your state as a whole and you represent your platform, which can be anything from being a stay at home mom to what my platform is which is focusing on veteran suicide and mental health,” Lynette said.
Lynette noted she had a cousin, Ryan Pritt, 25, a former U.S. Air Force weapons tech specialist who passed away on June 14, 2021 while deployed in Okinawa, Japan.
“The money that I raise for supporting this platform will help me get to the stage in 2024,” she said. “Any money left over will be donated in Ryan’s name to help other veterans with therapy, or going back to school, or other things they’re going through as veterans.”
While Lynette says she’s more of an introvert than the type of person who likes to get in front of a crowd, she said, once the shell is broken and people get to know her, she’s more open and feels like the pageant will bring out the best in her.
“The whole idea of doing this is to do something positive,” she said. “After getting married and having two children, I wanted to set some positive mental goals and some physical goals, and in order to do that I have to challenge myself and this competition will certainly help me do that.”
Lynette, who works in the medical field as a sugary navigator, is married to a former Mt. Vernon High School graduate, Garrett Lynette. The two, along with their two daughters, live just outside of Hancock County in the Geist community and plan to send their children to Mt. Vernon schools.
Anyone wishing to support a platform associated with Mrs. Indiana can visit the Mrs. Indiana website, www.mrsindianaamerica.com a week before the pageant in late March, 2024 to make a donation. Just look for the “Fabulous Faces” segment on the website where 100% of the proceeds will go to Victoria’s Voice Foundation, a worldwide effort to raise awareness and provide essential support to youth and families affected by substance abuse.
