Chapel Tinius of Bowling Green was recently crowned Miss Kentucky’s Outstanding Teen 2016.

“I was ecstatic when they called my name,” Tinius, 16, said Thursday from Lexington, where she is shadowing competitors of the Miss Kentucky Scholarship pageant. “I was on cloud 9 for the next couple of days realizing the opportunity that I have in front of me.”

Twenty-three competitors between the ages of 13 and 17 entered the competition at the Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville on Saturday. Each entered with a platform they are passionate about, and Tinius’ is Operation Gratitude: U.S. Military and Veteran Appreciation. Her talent performance included playing the fiddle and singing, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” and “Orange Blossom Special.” For this performance Tinius received the Preliminary Talent, Instrumental Talent and Overall Talent awards.

In her 13 years of playing fiddle, Tinius has recorded two group albums and one solo album. She is involved in her platform as a Kentucky Ambassador for Operation Gratitude to the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs Youth Council. Operation Gratitude is an organization that sends about 250,000 care packages a year to new recruits, veterans and other active service members. The packages are filled with snacks, entertainment, hygiene products, handmade items and personal letters of appreciation.

Tinius said she is excited at the opportunity that comes with winning the title to do more for her platform. 

Tinius also aspires to one day become a family practice physician. She said she was inspired by her grandfather on her mother’s side who was a family practice physician for more than 50 years.

“I want to be a family practice physician because I want to continue to help people for the rest of my life,” Tinius said.

A student with a 4.0 grade-point average, she attends Bowling Green High School, where she is a member of the Beta Club. She is the daughter of Jim Tinius and Dana Emberton-Tinius.

“Hearing her name announced as the winner among 23 truly outstanding teens was extremely humbling,” Emberton-Tinius said. “This is an excellent scholarship program, and we are proud that Chapel is the 2016 teen representative.”

Tinius will travel to Orlando, Fla., to compete in the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Scholarship pageant Aug. 2-6.