Miss Alabama 2024 Abbie Stockard: ‘I’m going to make the state proud’

Abbie Stockard has a sparkling smile, a serious career goal and a heart for service.

She’s the new Miss Alabama, crowned on June 29 at Samford University’s Wright Center in Birmingham. Stockard, 21, competed as Miss Hoover, impressing the judges and earning the title after three years in the Miss Alabama organization. She’ll move on to the Miss America pageant in January, representing her state for a national audience.

READ: Miss Alabama 2024: Abbie Stockard, Miss Hoover, takes the crown

AL.com caught up with Stockard just a few days into her reign as Miss Alabama, sitting down with her for a wide-ranging interview. Here are excerpts from that 90-minute conversation, which covered everything from from Stockard’s roots in Vestavia Hills — she’s a hometown girl, and proud of it — to her thoughts on empowered women. (Oprah Winfrey, that multimedia powerhouse and philanthropist, is her ultimate celebrity role model.)

(The interview below has been edited for length and clarity.)

You were crowned Miss Alabama on a Saturday night at the Wright Center. When you woke up the next morning, what was your first thought?

Abbie Stockard: “Is this real life?” I don’t even remember the crowning moment. I was in complete shock, just because I had no clue what was going to happen. I woke up and I looked at my phone and it had all these texts. And I’m like, “I’m Miss Alabama. This is real life.” And now it’s finally set in.

This was your third year competing for Miss Alabama. How did you approach the competition this year?

The whole mentality I had going into it was, “OK, this is my third year. I have put in all the preparation. I have put in the time, and the effort, and all the work I think it takes to be a successful Miss Alabama.” So anytime I felt any kind of fear or doubt — or maybe even started comparing myself to the other women, because they are all incredible — I just had to be like, “Abbie, you are going to go and be yourself. That’s the only person that you can be. You’ve put in the work, so trust that you’ve prepared for this.” That’s exactly what I was thinking, and I was being confident in that. It worked!

You were born and raised in the Birmingham metro area, in Vestavia Hills. What makes your hometown special?

I’ve lived in Vestavia my whole life. I’ve lived in the same neighborhood ever since I was born. I love the community in Vestavia. I went to Vestavia Hills High School, and there were so many opportunities to get involved and make a difference, not just in my school but also in my community. Something I was the president of my senior year was called Youth Leadership, and basically the tagline is “Be the difference.” It was a group of like 300 students that wanted to serve the school system and the community. So I just fell in love with Vestavia even more, getting to go out to community events, getting high school students involved in these events. And it’s just a tight-knit community. I feel like everyone knows everyone. I love that about Vestavia, and that’s why I love living here.

When you have free time in the Birmingham area, what kinds of things do you like to do?

I love hiking and I love getting outdoors. Ever since COVID hit, my family and I started a new tradition where every Sunday after church we would go hiking. My favorite spots would be at Oak Mountain State Park. We also went to Red Mountain Park some, and I also like Moss Rock Preserve. I have become an avid pickleball player. I’m not great, but I love it. I have a big sweet tooth, so I’ve probably been to every ice cream place in Birmingham. My personal favorite would be Jeni’s Ice Cream. Even last night, I went and got ice cream at Doodle’s in Cahaba Heights. Literally, I would eat ice cream for every meal if I could.

READ: Miss Alabama 2024 on 10 favorite restaurants: ‘I love any kind of pasta’

Your talent for Miss Alabama was dance. Did you take dance classes here while growing up?

I started dancing when I was 2, and all the way up until eighth grade I trained at Jackie O’Neal (School of Dance). My freshman year to senior year of high school, I was at Birmingham Dance Theatre. So I danced competitively, traveling on the weekends, and I was also on Vestavia’s dance team, which is called the Rebelette Dance Team. I spent a lot of my weekends traveling and competing. My freshman year (of college), I ended up trying out for the Auburn University Tiger Paws dance team. So I’ve danced my whole life. It is a huge part of what I do.

Why is being a dancer important or satisfying for you?

I think dance has always been an escape for me. When I was in third grade, my parents got a divorce and that was a very hard time for me, because it continued all the way until middle school. I had a lot going on, and for me, dance became the only way I could kind of let it all out. Once I walked into my dance studio, anything that was causing me anxiety or stress, or just the dark place that I was in, I could go to the dance studio and I could forget about all of that. That’s where I actually felt free. So any time I do any kind of performance or my talent for Miss Alabama, there’s always a deeper meaning behind it. It’s more than just dance. It’s a meaning that I’m trying to portray, and a feeling that I want people to feel when they watch me dance.

This year at Miss Alabama, you performed a contemporary dance to Lauren Daigle’s “You Say.” What was the meaning you wanted to convey?

This is a very special piece. My grandmother (Martha Tucker) passed away less than a year ago, and she actually picked that song. I performed that solo my senior year of high school, and when I came up for my talent for Miss Alabama, there was no doubt I wanted to do that. Because my grandmother would say, “Abbie, when you hear this song, I want you to listen to the words. I want you to know that you are loved, you are strong, you are worthy, and don’t let anyone make you think otherwise.” So any time that I perform that, it’s about the importance of sticking to the course and staying true to who you are.

You love dancing, but you’re not planning to dance professionally. Tell us about that.

No. I thought about it. This is random, but the recruiter from DCC — you know, Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders — reached out to me, and we had a couple phone calls. So that was in the back of my head, but I don’t know. I’m in nursing school at Auburn right now, and so I really want to continue pursuing that degree, and then a more advanced degree. So I think maybe dancing may be coming to an end after college.

READ: Where did Miss Alabama winners go to college? Which school has the most winners?

Has anyone in your family ever competed for Miss Alabama?

My mom competed one year, when she was 19. But she didn’t love it as much as I did. She was Miss Reveille, which was like Miss Vestavia at the time. We always grew up watching Miss Alabama together, and watching Miss America on TV, so I always loved it, ever since I was little.

Your career goal is to be a nurse anesthetist, specializing in pediatrics. Why did you choose that specialty?

I want to be a pediatric nurse anesthetist because I love kids. I love being around kids; they’ve always been a huge part of my life. And basically as a nurse anesthetist, you are in charge of putting them to sleep, and then waking them up after surgery. I’ve always been told I have a very calming presence, and I know as a little kid you’re probably petrified about going under for surgery. I feel like I would be good at calming them down and giving them peace before they go under for a scary surgery. I also feel like I work well under pressure. And it seems exciting, and it isn’t like the same thing every day, because it’s different cases. That’s the goal right now. I’ve got some years of school down the road, but that’s the goal.

Does being in the medical profession run in your family?

My dad (Brad Stockard) is a medical sales rep and my mom (Kim Stockard) is a pharmacist. Both my aunt and uncle are physicians. My other aunt is a psychiatrist, and my granddad was a general surgeon. I grew up hearing a lot of stories about the medical field. Some I probably would have been better off not knowing, but I always knew that it was something that I was interested in.

When I started competing in (the Miss Alabama) organization, it’s when I realized how much I love to serve others. And that’s exactly what I knew I would be doing as a nurse. You have to have compassion and you have to have empathy. And by serving the community through my service initiative in this organization, I learned that’s how I have the greatest fulfillment, when I’m able to give of myself to other people.

Your service initiative for Miss Alabama is Be the Change: Find a Cure — Cystic Fibrosis Awareness. You have a personal connection to the cause, correct?

I do. When I was in third grade, like when I was 9-years-old, I met this energetic, spunky, lively girl named Maddie (Hagler). We became best friends at that young age, and we still are to this day. We are extremely close. Growing up with Maddie, I saw the effects that this disease took on her mental and physical health. Something that I just vividly remember is, she had to miss a lot of school and go into the hospital because her lung capacity is significantly lower. I remember going to visit her in the hospital, and I remember seeing my best friend lying there, helpless and weak. She was hooked up to all these cords; she had oxygen. It sparked a fire in me at a young age that this was unfair. I didn’t understand: Why did she have to go through this and I didn’t? That’s when my journey with cystic fibrosis began.

I got partnered with the executive director of the CF Foundation of Alabama. (I started going to) events and fundraising events that were happening across the state. Then through my service initiative, I created four components: Fundraising, awareness, visibility and legislation. Over the past three years, I have been working to create and find new ways to target each of these components. I hope by doing so, we’ll get closer and closer to finding a cure for CF, because currently there isn’t one.

You’ll have a yearlong reign as Miss Alabama. What are some things you’d like to accomplish during that time?

I want to increase the visibility of this organization as much as I can. I want to continue building partnerships for Miss Alabama, to make sure she’s represented across the state. I want to work on getting connected, networking and maybe securing some future sponsorships for Miss Alabama.

I want to grow my service initiative, and I’m excited about that. Now, as Miss Alabama, I can go across the state and meet more CF fighters and continue to find ways to grow each of those components I talked about earlier. I want to use social media, very strategically and tactically. I’ve been trying to come up with ways that I can increase engagement and attraction on the Miss Alabama page, because social media is so prevalent today.

I get to travel to all of the local preliminary competitions across the state, and I want to create fun backstage videos of all the contestants. I want to make them feel seen and highlighted, and post that on the Miss Alabama page. I think by doing this, other young women who aren’t involved, would be like, “Oh, this looks like so much fun.” Or, “Oh, these preliminaries are happening so close to where I live,” because they’re all the way across the state. So I’m hoping through that, I can boost recruitment for the organization. And I want to make service the forefront of my reign. I want to travel to as many communities as I can. I really just want to serve the people and touch the lives of those across the state.

What qualities do you have that will make you an effective Miss Alabama?

I truly believe that I have what it takes to leave a lasting and a positive impact on this organization. Something about me is that I am a very hard worker. When I commit to something, I will commit to it wholeheartedly, and I will always go the extra mile. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing as a local titleholder the past three years, and I know this attribute will allow me to be a successful Miss Alabama. I’m also a very positive person. I am a social butterfly, and I truly believe that I can make a difference in the community around me. By having this platform of influence, I know that I’m going to be able to do just that, by traveling across the state.

Miss Alabama winners tend to be achievers. Would you describe yourself as an achiever?

I’m definitely an achiever. Growing up, I tried to get involved in as many opportunities as I can. I am a go-getter. I love staying busy. I’m very goal-oriented. When I commit to something, I’m going to do everything I can, no matter what it takes to get to that position and attain that success.

At the Miss Alabama competition, how did it feel to be among a group of women who are also achievers?

I spent the whole week with these women, and they are incredible. I still can’t believe it’s me that won, because I look at them, and they are just amazing. They are dedicated; they are driven; they’re passionate about their service initiatives. They say that being in the Miss America organization, you are forming relationships with like-minded women. I am a testament to the fact that’s so true. I spent a week with them, and I left feeling even more inspired than I was before. And it’s so sweet. You spend this whole week with women who will pray for you, they laugh with you, they cry with you. I left just feeling so supported and so encouraged.

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Miss Alabama and Miss America talk about nurturing strong, empowered women. Do you think of yourself a feminist?

I mean, yes. The ultimate mission of this organization is to empower young women. I think that women have made incredible strides in the fight for gender equality. I think women have broken down barriers. We have challenged the stereotypes, and I think now women have equal opportunities to be successful in whatever they put their minds to, whether that be society, their career or raising a family. That’s why I think this organization is so relevant, because it’s empowering young women. It’s giving them the confidence and life skills to go and be successful and accomplish any goal that they set for themselves.

Is this a good time to be a woman in the state of Alabama?

Absolutely. I think the modern woman now is strong, she is capable, she is independent. She doesn’t need anyone; she can do anything that she sets her mind to. That’s exactly how I feel. And tying it back to the organization, that’s why it’s so relevant. It’s empowering women to go out and seek those positions of leadership, and make sure that women are being represented in many different business roles.

What would be your response to people who say Miss Alabama is outdated and irrelevant, or that it’s all about being pretty?

I would say you are crazy! Miss America is the largest scholarship organization and provider in the world. I calculated it, and over the past three years of competing, I have received $36,000 in scholarship money. And that is going to pay my entire undergraduate degree to become a nurse. ... Looking back and seeing how much scholarship money I’ve acquired, it’s like, you’d be crazy not to join this organization. It’s incredible. I’m so thankful.

Not only is it allowing me to pursue my educational and my career objectives, but it’s given me skill sets that I know will carry on beyond my years of competing. This past year I really learned the importance of communication and networking. I was able to create and conduct my very own fundraiser. It was (a roast of Hoover Police chief Nick Derzis), emceed by ESPN host Paul Finebaum, and I was successfully able to raise $190,000 to go directly toward the CF Foundation. Those skills I learned will allow me to be successful, no matter what I do outside of this organization. It is so, so much more than looks. We have to have a talent; you have your service initiative; we’re required to be aware of what is going on in the world around us, on any kind of global issue. You have to be educated, and it takes so much preparation.

Our state seems very polarized right now. There are many social and political issues that divide us. How can Miss Alabama be a force for unity when the people you’re going to meet are so divided?

I see Miss Alabama’s role, first of all, as being politically neutral. ... Everybody, no matter which political party you support, everyone knows the icon and celebrity of Miss Alabama. I see my role as being the girl next door. I don’t see my role as taking a political side. I want to be a friend, a neighbor and a light to everyone I meet. My goal is to be a positive role model. And I truly believe through my positivity, I’m going to be able to make an impact on the people around me. I want to be approachable. I’m going to stay true to my authentic self, and I want to make everybody feel seen. And I want to leave people better than when I first met them.

People are usually excited to meet Miss Alabama. You’re a public figure now. Are you going to be on point with everything — your clothes, your makeup, your hair, whatever else — when you walk out the door?

Yeah! I’m so ready for that. As a Tiger Paw (dancer at Auburn), that’s exactly what I had to do. I had to step out the door and be ready, and dressed to impress. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do as Miss Alabama, even if I’m running to the grocery store. I’m going to be ready to be caught at any moment.

Can we talk about fashion? How would you describe your style?

I love bright colors. I like things that are (adorned with stones). I like things that are unique, that a lot of people would not wear. I like coming up with my own things. My style is very fun, cute and comfortable. I think my style is also very classy. It’s classy, because that’s what Miss Alabama’s supposed to be. I wouldn’t want to wear anything that would make me unapproachable, or make anyone uncomfortable.

How do you feel about heels?

I love heels. My whole wardrobe consists of heels. Luckily, I’m already pretty tall, so I don’t have to worry about using heels to enhance my height. But I feel sassy, I feel like a queen when I put heels on. It’s a confidence booster.

Little girls tend to look at Miss Alabama like she’s a Disney princess. Are you ready for that?

Yes, I can’t wait. I cannot wait to be their role model and feel like a princess. Part of me was like, a couple of years ago, “Should I get involved in the Disney College Program and become a princess?” But now I get to be one as Miss Alabama. I can show these little girls they can wear the crown; they can be Miss Alabama, too.

Do you have a celebrity role model?

I love Oprah Winfrey. She runs her own talk show, and it gets like over a million viewers every time they’re on air. I mean, she’s a writer, she’s a philanthropist, a producer. But what I admire so much about her is that she started something called the Angel Network, and basically she provides resources and money to underprivileged women and children. I admire her so much for that, because she is using her platform of influence to serve other people. I think that says a lot about someone, especially under the spotlight. She’s giving back to others. I respect that so much.

As Miss Alabama, you’ll move on to compete for Miss America. Any thoughts on that? Is it a big deal?

Oh, it’s a huge deal! I don’t think that part has hit me yet, that I’m going to Miss America. I’ll have to create my talent piece, get my evening gown, perfect my walk — because, trust me there is always room for growth there. I’ll be doing interview prep and growing my service initiative. And I’m going to work out, obviously. I’ve danced all my life, so I know firsthand the benefits of a well-rounded lifestyle — physical activity, but also mental wellness. I want to do everything I can to make sure that I am going to represent Alabama in the most positive light, and the best way possible. I want to go into Miss America knowing that I couldn’t have done any more work, and that I’m going to make the state proud.

This may seem like a strange question, since you were born and raised in Alabama, but do you feel Southern?

Do I feel Southern? I mean, yeah, anytime I go somewhere where I’m not in the South, everyone’s like, “You just have the cutest accent ever!” I don’t hear it. But every time I go somewhere not in the South, someone says something about the accent. But I feel like I’ve got that Southern hospitality. It’s a real thing. So I’m a Southern girl; I definitely am. Never forget your Southern roots.