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Hailey Adams is crowned Miss Alabama's Outstanding Teen 2022, Sunday, March 6, 2022, at Thompson High School in Alabaster. (Tamika Moore for AL.com)
By Mary Colurso | Updated: Mar. 06, 2022, 9:59 p.m.
Hailey Adams is the new Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen.
The 16-year-old from Birmingham was crowned on Sunday afternoon at Thompson High School in Alabaster. She competed as Miss Cahaba Valley’s Outstanding Teen, besting 38 other contestants for the 2022 state title.
Adams will move on to represent Alabama at the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen competition later this year.
Adams takes over the role of Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen from Emma Terry. (Terry, the first-runner up for Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen 2021, stepped in and assumed the title in July when winner Marcelle LeBlanc was named Miss America’s Outstanding Teen.)
Terry crowned her successor on Sunday at the high school’s performing arts center and presented her with a bouquet of roses.
“Amazing! It is wow, but it’s still setting in,” Adams said backstage after her win. “I’m so beyond thankful for the opportunity. I worked so hard; I competed when I was 14, and I decided I wanted to hold this title and give back to the organization that’s given so much to me. ... I’m so ecstatic.”
Adams, a junior at Evangel Christian School in Alabaster, offered a dance performance to “Proud Mary” during the talent competition on Sunday, and participated in physical fitness and evening wear segments. She also discussed her philanthropic platform (called a “social impact initiative” by the Miss Alabama organization). It’s Hailey’s H.U.G.S. -- The Fight Against Pediatric Cancer.
When asked about her plans for the year ahead, here’s what Adams said:
“Of course I’m looking forward to nationals. I think it’s going to be such an amazing experience, but really, working close with the organization and making sure I’m representing them to the best of my ability. I want to be able to make an impact on the state and use this as a megaphone for my social impact initiative, pediatric cancer, Hailey’s H.U.G.S.. I’m just so excited.”
As the winner of Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen, Adams will receive $12,500 in scholarship money and her choice of tuition scholarships to schools such as the University of Alabama, Auburn University, the University of Montevallo or the University of North Alabama.
Jayla Duncan, 18, of Childersburg was named first runner-up on Sunday. Elaina Burt, 16, of Hoover took third place. Mikella Anderson, 17, of Prattville came in fourth. Emma Walters, 17, of Birmingham rounded out the top five. All of them will receive scholarship money ranging from $1,000 to $2,500.
Before the pageant finals on Sunday, contestants for Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen participated in preliminary events and had a private interview with the judges. Adams won an evening gown preliminary on Saturday and shared a win in a talent preliminary with Burt, the second runner-up in the finals.
Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen was founded in 2003 and has crowned 21 winners to date. Two Alabama winners, LeBlanc and Jessica Baeder, have moved on to become Miss America’s Outstanding Teen.
Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen is affiliated with Miss Alabama, and girls who participate in Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen often move on to the Miss Alabama pageant. Lauren Bradford and Tiara Pennington, the two most recent winners of Miss Alabama, came up through the teen competition.
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