Handshakes, hugs and well wishes surround Jordan Carraway as she heads to the Miss Alabama pageant next week. For the last ten months, Carraway has filled the role of Miss Hoover 2022. She says the public appearances have been the most fun for her.
"The City of Hoover has been so welcoming. I love seeing just how proud Hoover is of their city. Like celebrate Hoover day. That was incredible. I think that was probably my number one favorite appearance. Everyone was just so kind," Carraway said.
This will be her first appearance at the Miss Alabama pageant. Carraway, who is a junior at Auburn studying industrial and systems engineering, started in pageant because of the scholarship opportunities. Having studied baton twirling since she was 13, she chose that as her talent for the competition. It was a bittersweet choice. Just four days before competing in the Miss Hoover pageant last August, her longtime baton coach passed away.
"So when the day of Miss Hoover came around, I almost like did not come. I was not in a good place mentally," Carraway recalls.
"And then I decided I paid the entry fee. I had sent in the paperwork, I'm going to commit to it. So I came and winning was just kind of really special, you know, doing this in her honor. I'm putting all of her work on the Miss Alabama stage. Even though she can't be there physically, it's really special to me."
The finale of the Miss Alabama Pageant will be held Saturday, July 2, 2022 at the Wright Center located on the Samford University campus.
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