ORANGE BEACH — It may appear when Miss Alabama is crowned there is only one winner at the annual pageant.
Bailey Kennon, competing in her first Miss Alabama pageant, says that wasn’t the case at all with her.
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Kennon qualified for the statewide contest by winning the Miss Coastal Alabama title in September.
“Everyone thinks the crown is the ultimate goal and although that’s wonderful plus, every girl there gains something that week,” she said. “I just think that’s such a beautiful part of the Miss America system.”
Bailey went through the interview process as well as competing in three other categories during the week of June 7-11 at the 2016 Miss Alabama pageant. Some advice from Miss Alabama 2015 put her week into perspective.
“Something that Miss Alabama 2015 Meg McGuffin said throughout the week was ‘the journey is the destination,’” Bailey said. “It took a while for that to click with me. But once it did it was like ‘wow.’
“Every season of life there is something to be gained. And there’s seasons of losses and seasons of wins. Even though I may be in a season of loss doesn’t mean I haven’t gained anything.”
One thing Bailey gained for certain is $4,000 in scholarship money to continue pursuit of her business degree and ultimately an MBA. Another is the experience of a statewide pageant and all its challenges.
“The Miss America system has done so much for me as an individual, all my hard work for nine months since becoming Miss Coastal and coming together for that week,” Bailey said. “It may sound really cliché but I really made friendships with girls that will last a lifetime. Some of these girls will probably be bridesmaids in my wedding one day. All around, it was just an incredible experience.”
Bailey begins working to qualify for the 2017 Miss Alabama pageant almost immediately along with fulfilling the duties of Miss Coast Alabama.
“I can’t compete in Miss Coastal again because I’m the reigning titleholder and I will crown a new girl,” she said. “I will be competing in several preliminaries throughout the state over the next few months.
“When I started in this less than a year ago and I became Miss Coastal I saw myself blossom and change in ways I never thought I could. Now I see myself as a confident, beautiful, intelligent woman. That’s something I don’t know if I could have gotten anywhere else.”
