Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashton Haywood.
Hi Ashton, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Arkansas, and so much of who I am today has been shaped by the people and communities here. My journey has never followed just one path—I’m an educator, artist, coach, wife, mom, advocate, and now Mrs. Arkansas-America 2026 and Mrs. Congeniality-America 2026.
Education and the arts have always been a huge part of my life. I earned my AAS, BFA, and MAT in Art Education and went on to become an elementary art teacher. I have the privilege of teaching young children every day, and they constantly remind me just how powerful encouragement, creativity, and simply having someone believe in you can be. I’ve also spent years coaching collegiate archery at Arkansas State University, which has given me another opportunity to mentor young people and help them discover their own confidence.
Becoming a mother to my son, Asher, changed the way I looked at my role as an educator. When I looked at my students, I started seeing my own child in them. That became especially powerful when I saw children coming to school without consistent access to food and other basic necessities. It inspired me to advocate for our school’s Backpack Program and use my voice to bring greater awareness to childhood food insecurity. What started within my own school community has grown into a mission to encourage more people across Arkansas to get involved and make sure children have what they need to learn, grow, and dream.
My pageant journey became another way for me to amplify that mission. In June 2026, I was crowned Mrs. Arkansas-America, giving me the incredible opportunity to represent the state I love at Mrs. America in Las Vegas. While I didn’t come home with the national crown, I came home with something incredibly special: the title of Mrs. Congeniality-America 2026. Being chosen by the women I competed alongside meant more to me than I can put into words because it represents the kind of woman I strive to be—someone who makes others feel welcomed, supported, and valued.
Through every chapter, my greatest support has been my family, especially my husband, Nick, and our son, Asher. They remind me that success isn’t defined by a crown, a degree, or a title. It’s defined by the people you impact along the way.
I never set out to fit into one box. I simply kept saying yes to opportunities that allowed me to create, teach, serve, lead, and encourage others. Looking back, those seemingly different paths have woven together into one purpose: using whatever platform I have to leave people and my community a little better than I found them.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I think some of the hardest seasons of my life have shaped me into the woman I am today.
Like so many women, I’ve had seasons where I questioned whether I was enough—enough as a mom, wife, educator, leader, or simply as myself. Balancing motherhood, marriage, teaching, coaching, community involvement, and pageantry has meant learning that I can’t always do everything perfectly. Sometimes success looks less like having it all together and more like continuing to show up.
My pageant journey especially taught me that lesson. There were moments of immense pressure, self-doubt, comparison, and disappointment. I worked incredibly hard preparing to represent Arkansas at Mrs. America, and while the national crown wasn’t ultimately part of my story, something unexpected was. I was chosen by my fellow contestants as Mrs. Congeniality-America 2026. That experience reminded me that how we treat people while chasing our dreams matters just as much as whether we achieve the exact outcome we envisioned.
Working in education has also opened my eyes to struggles much bigger than my own. Seeing children face food insecurity and circumstances completely outside of their control can be heartbreaking. There are days when you wish you could fix everything for every child, and you simply can’t. Instead of allowing that feeling to discourage me, I decided to turn it into action through my work with the Backpack Program.
I’ve also learned that growth sometimes means navigating difficult relationships, criticism, and situations where you have to advocate for yourself while still choosing kindness. I’ve had to learn when to speak up, when to let something go, and how to protect my peace without losing the compassionate part of myself.
The road hasn’t always been easy, and I’m grateful that it hasn’t been perfect. The difficult parts have taught me resilience, empathy, perspective, and the importance of staying grounded in who I am. I’m still learning as I go, but I think that’s part of the beauty of it. You don’t have to have a perfect journey to create a meaningful one.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
At my core, I’m an educator and an artist. I’m an elementary art teacher, where I get to introduce young children to creativity and help them discover that there isn’t just one “right” way to see or create something. I specialize in making art exciting, approachable, and meaningful for young learners. My classroom is colorful, sometimes messy, and always full of imagination!
Outside of the classroom, mentorship has been another major part of my career. I have spent six years coaching collegiate archery at Arkansas State University, working with student-athletes and helping them develop not only their skills but also their confidence, discipline, and ability to handle pressure.
However, some of the work I’m most proud of started because of what I witnessed as a teacher. I work in a high-poverty school district, and I began seeing firsthand how food and material insecurity affect children. Once I became a mother, it became impossible for me not to look at my students differently. I would see my son’s face in theirs and think, “What if that were my child?”
That perspective led me to become an advocate for our Backpack Program, which provides food and necessities to students who may not have consistent access to them at home. I’ve used my platform as Mrs. Arkansas-America 2026 to bring greater awareness to childhood food insecurity, speak within my community, organize fundraisers and donation efforts, and encourage others to get involved.
What I’m most proud of isn’t a degree, title, crown, or award—it’s knowing that the different pieces of my life have given me opportunities to impact people. Whether I’m helping a six-year-old proudly hold up a piece of artwork, encouraging a college athlete after a difficult competition, or helping put food into a backpack so a child has something to eat over the weekend, those moments are what make my work meaningful.
I think what sets me apart is that I genuinely love wearing many hats. I don’t believe you have to choose between being creative and being a leader, between having a career and serving your community, or between pursuing your own dreams and helping someone else pursue theirs.
I’m an artist, teacher, coach, advocate, wife, mom, Mrs. Arkansas-America, and Mrs. Congeniality-America 2026—and somehow, all of those roles have taught me the same thing: people may not always remember what you accomplished, but they will remember how you made them feel. That is the legacy I hope my work leaves behind.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I absolutely love collaborating with people, businesses, schools, and organizations that believe in giving back and making a difference in their communities.
One of the biggest ways to support my work is through the Nettleton Public Schools Backpack Program. I’m always looking for community partners who want to donate food or essential items, sponsor fundraising efforts, host donation drives, or simply help spread awareness about childhood food insecurity. Behind every backpack is a child with big dreams, and sometimes meeting a basic need can make an incredible difference in that child’s ability to learn and thrive.
As Mrs. Arkansas-America 2026 and Mrs. Congeniality-America 2026, I’m also available for community events, school visits, speaking engagements, fundraisers, charitable initiatives, interviews, and other collaborations. I especially love opportunities centered around children, education, the arts, women’s empowerment, confidence, and community service.
You can also support me simply by following along and sharing the work! Social media has given me an incredible opportunity to connect with people beyond my immediate community and bring more attention to causes that matter to me.
Whether you’re a business interested in partnering, an organization looking for a speaker, or someone who simply wants to help a child in your community, I would love to connect. I truly believe meaningful change happens when people are willing to come together—and there is always room for another person at the table.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mrsarkansas.com
- Instagram: Mrs_arkansas_america
