Miss Arkansas 2016
A native of Calico Rock, Savannah Skidmore was crowned Miss Arkansas USA on 18 November 2018 and represented Arkansas at the Miss USA 2019 pageant in Reno, Nevada. Savannah has worked with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and has been in attendance for the signing of three different Arkansas laws governing suicide prevention for the state. She was a student at the University of Arkansas School of Law during her reign and graduated with her Juris Doctor in 2022.
Miss Arkansas USA 2019 Savannah Skidmore was competing at Miss Arkansas USA for the first time, but in 2016 she placed first runner-up to Savvy Shields at Miss Arkansas, assuming the Miss Arkansas 2016 title after Savvy won Miss America!
She was raised on a small farm in rural Arkansas where she learned the value of hard work and dreaming big. Though she comes from a town of only 1,500 people, she always felt she was bound for big things. She is the daughter of Jerry and Kim Skidmore of Calico Rock, Arkansas who have always supported all of her highest goals.
She has resided for the majority of the past 5 years in Fayetteville, Arkansas where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism at the University of Arkansas. One of her proudest accomplishments is graduating completely debt free. During her undergraduate years she was an anchor and reporter for the campus television station, and she interned at the local NBC affiliate. She was also able to found her own student organization focused on preventing suicide in college-aged students. She was able to speak to over 500 students about the mental health resources available to them through the university.
Suicide prevention and awareness is something Savannah has been passionate about for several years. Beyond her university, she has spoken to over 20,000 students and adults across the state of Arkansas about the importance of speaking up for those that may not be able to speak up for themselves.
Savannah has a school program called Speak Up Now that she loves to present to students primarily between third and tenth grade. She teaches them the skills they need to recognize when they have a friend who is going through a hard time and how to speak up for that person.
Savannah has been able to work with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and has been in attendance for the signing of three different Arkansas laws governing suicide prevention for the state.
Savannah is currently a first year law student at the University of Arkansas School of Law. She hopes to use her law degree to help nonprofit organizations and advocacy groups.
She is an active 24 year old who loves to play basketball, loves to sing, and loves anything that involves her 1 and a half year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog!
The on-stage moments, the tension of the final two and the glory of the crowning, here are Savannah’s state pageant photos.
Lights, camera, action! Professional photoshoots are one of the perks that comes from winning a title.
There’s nothing better than watching a contestant progress from year to year! Here’s a look back at Savannah’s previous pageant photos.
All beautiful things must come to an end, no matter how bittersweet. See Savannah’s farewell walk and other candids from the weekend she crowned her successor Haley Rose Pontius as Miss Arkansas USA 2020.
Winning a state title is a sisterhood for life. Here are Savannah’s “after the crown” photos.
