Hayley Barber Is Alabama’s Pick for Miss America 2017

The up and coming Miss America Competition 2017 will take place at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall, and Hayley Barber will represent Alabama. Barber is just one of 52 contestants that are hoping to steal the crown.

First things first, The 2016 Miss America Betty Cantrell will be broadcast across the country to see who will by the 96th winner. Barber is a currently taking a year off from her studies at UAB, where she studies marketing as a senior. She needed to prepare for her duties as Miss Alabama and to get ready for Miss America. After she is done her degree, she plans on going to optometry school and to eventually hopes to own her very own private pediatric clinic.

It has been a long road for Barber, as she has competed for the title four times before. This competitor has a vision to help young children receive eye exams and to give those with low vision access to therapy. Barber even made history at the preliminary competition, earning over $20,000 in scholarships because of her dedication to help others.

The feminine name Hayley is taken from the surname that was derived from an English town name meaning “hay-clearing”. The name was put together with two Old English words: heg which means “hay” and leah which means “clearing”. The name became popular after the British child star – actress Hayley Mills, however, it took a decade before she became famous and the name became common.