We recently shared with you a new series for our “Road To…,” highlighting the contestants who are vying for the title of Miss Iowa 2018! The next contestant to be featured is Miss Noelridge, Bailey Hodson. Continue reading to learn more about Bailey and her journey to Miss Iowa 2018!

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What does being Miss Iowa 2018 mean to you?
When I think of being Miss Iowa 2018, I think of serving. The most important thing to me as my year as Miss Iowa is to serve and give back to the community that raised me. I really want to show people that I am not some girl in a crown and that I can get my hands dirty and actually work. My entire life, I have lived out in the country and ran around barefoot when I was little. I want people to see that I relate to them and not look at me as someone who is above them. The second thing that means the most to be is being myself. I don’t want to be Miss Iowa and then be Bailey. I want to be both at the same time. Whoever I am with the crown off, is who I am with the crown on. I don’t want to change who I am and what I believe in so that a panel of judges might like me more or because society asks for a certain type of person. If I am going to be Miss Iowa, I am going to be 100% Bailey.


Tell our readers a bit about how you prepared for competing in the Miss Iowa system? What challenges did you face in preparing for Miss Iowa?
I have prepared for Miss Iowa in several ways. The first way I have prepared myself is working with my personal trainer, Moe, from Rock Valley Physical Therapy. Moe and I have been working on getting my body in shape and ready to walk in a swimsuit since I won my title. She pushes me to be the best I can be and does an amazing job of helping me pursue my dream of being Miss Iowa. The second way I have prepared for Miss Iowa is by maintaining my health. I have been meal prepping and making sure I am getting enough of everything in my daily meals and snacks. The third way that I have prepared is by working with my vocal coach, Carissa. My talent is vocal performance so Carissa and I have been working on strengthening my voice and perfecting my song. The fourth way I have prepared for Miss Iowa is by doing mock interviews. Interview and onstage question are two very important parts of the competition so I have been working on my public speaking and answering questions in a way that is educated but my voice still comes through. The part that I have struggled the most with or have found most challenging is staying on a healthy lifestyle plan. The world is full of sweet treats that I love and want so badly to eat, but I have to fuel my body and those food would not do the job.

What has been three of your most memorable experiences, since being crowned Miss Noelridge?
It is hard to pick just 3 of my favorite because every experience has been amazing. To narrow it down, one of my favorite experiences would have to be going and speaking at Woodside Middle School. The kids were so energetic and fun which made giving my speech about my platform so much easier. Another would be going to the “Glow Walk” in Clinton, IA to represent my platform, Anti-Bullying. I got to meet many amazing people, especially one little girl who stole my heart with her kind soul. I also got the honor to speak and share my story and what I have been doing with my platform. My last favorite is going to the “Out of the Darkness” walk at my university, Grand View. My cousin committed suicide in December and having an event where so many people got together and raised awareness for such a sad incident meant so much to me. It was also special to see people that I knew share their stories and it really made me realize how much baggage people carry that we don’t know about.


How have you striven to not only promote your personal platform, but also help raise money for the MAO’s national platform, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals?
I created a calendar that I posted on Facebook for the month of April. People picked a date that they wanted to sponsor and donate that amount at the minimum. For example, if you picked April 25th, you would donate a minimum of $25 to Children’s Miracle Network. I got an overwhelming response of donations from people. Almost everyone who donated to me, donated more than the number of their date.

With the recent news which has been brought up in regards to the former Miss America Org. board, what do you hope the future of the MAO holds with their new Chairwoman, Gretchen Carlson?
First off, I believe Gretchen Carlson is an amazing woman and we are so lucky to have her on the board. I also believe that with her background in the MAO, she will know what needs to change for the future. I am confident that she knows exactly what she is doing and she knows what the future hold for the MAO, and it is a bright one. I hope that the sisterhood stays strong and that woman can continue to come together to lift each other up and show the world that we are strong, confident women.


What advice do you have for young women who are looking to step into the Miss America Organization?
I say DO IT! I have had several girls ask me when I go to middle schools and high schools ask me about getting involved. This is something anyone can do and something everyone can benefit from. It is so important to not look at it as a beauty competition. It is a competition to represent our state with your knowledge and heart.

How do you define yourself as a role-model for others?
I have gone through some pretty traumatic events in my life. Instead of sitting at home and letting those event define who I am, I have risen above them and have chosen to use my voice to show people that you are the only person who can change who you are. The words of others and the events we experience do not define us and you can rise above anything and use it as a lesson.


What do you think is the biggest challenge which is facing the young generation of America today? And how can we work together to overcome it?
I believe that the biggest issue is bullying. I think this is an issue that is swept under the rug a lot of the times but I believe that it is a HUGE issue facing the young generation. There need to be stricter laws against bullying and stricter regulations in schools. Most schools have a plan but it is not always carried out like it should be. I think that there need to be programs set up in schools that prevent bullying and give the students a safe place to go when they need help. We also need to educate everyone about this issue; parents, students, staff, the entire nation. Everyone should know the facts and know how to handle a bullying issue in the correct way.

Regardless of whoever wins the title of Miss Iowa 2018, what is one goal you have for the new title-holder, which you hope she is able to accomplish during her reign?
I hope she is 100% herself. I know that it can be hard to get wrapped up in the title and the power you have, however, it is more important to be 100% you and relate to real life people. That is all part of the job.

What have you learned from your current state title-holder, Miss Noelridge, which you will take with you, if you were to win the title of Miss Iowa?
I have learned that is always good to be raw and honest. When sharing my story about my experiences with bullying, it really touches and speaks to students more when I am unfiltered and honest about the situations I experienced. I realized that making a connection with people is so important.


Bravura is an artistic word for exceptional. What makes you a “bravura” candidate for Miss Iowa?
I believe I have a lot of perspective on prevalent issues that is going in our world. I think that with my experiences with bullying, my loss of a family member due to suicide, and our education system with me being an education major as well as working at a school part time. With that being said, I believe that I really connect with people and have a lot of knowledge of real life situations which will make me an advocate for those people and really lend my knowledge to them. I can be a role model to those who need me and lend my experiences to those who are searching for answers or solutions to issues going on in our society.

What words of advice do you have for the new class of contestants who are getting ready to compete for your title?
Be yourself! You will never lose if you open yourself up and let yourself grow and learn more and more each time! Enjoy the experience!!

What words of thanks do you have for those who have supported you on this journey?
I don’t have enough space to even begin the thank you to everyone! I am so extremely grateful to have the support system that I do and I will forever be thankful for everything they have done for me. For all the money spent to come watch me, to the words of encouragement along the way, it all means the same and that is more than you can imagine!

Where can people follow you on social media?
My Facebook page is: Miss Noelridge 2018: Bailey Hodson.
Instagram is: @missnoelridge2018.

What final words do you have for the readers of Bravura Magazine and those following you on social media?
Thank you so much for taking the time to read about me and my journey to Miss Iowa! I hope you were able to learn something and/or take something away from this! Follow my social media pages for my journey these last couple of weeks as well as Miss Iowa week and after!