Miss Hoover Grier Feldman on way to Miss America’s Teen

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People/Places

Grier Feldman has been twirling a baton since she was 5 years old and competing since she was 8, and now at age 18, she gets to take that talent to the Miss America’s Teen competition in Orlando in September.

Feldman, a senior at Oak Mountain High School who lives in the Sterrett community and who has been serving as Miss Hoover’s Teen since July, captured the Miss Alabama’s Teen crown and title on March 8.

It was her fifth time competing in the Miss Alabama’s Teen competition and turned out to be her year. It also marked the second time in three years Miss Hoover has won the contest.

“I’m just so excited and so grateful for this opportunity,” Feldman said. She has worked very hard to get to this point and is thankful for all the Miss America organization has taught her over the years. She is naturally an introvert and years ago was very shy, but the Miss America organization has helped her overcome that, she said. “I'm so confident now.”

Feldman was among 38 contestants vying for the crown at the Thompson High School Performing Arts Center in Alabaster.

Before capturing the state title, she scored preliminary wins in both the evening gown and talent categories. She also won the community service award for her efforts to bring joy and hope to children battling cancer.

Feldman was inspired by a family friend’s battle with leukemia when she was just 4 years old, and she officially launched her State of Love Foundation 501(c)(3) nonprofit at age 8. Through donations, partnerships with local organizations and community outreach, Feldman provides support to pediatric cancer patients while raising awareness about childhood cancer.

“Grier is one of the hardest-working girls I know,” said Julie Bentley, director of the Miss Hoover Foundation. “She’s very deserving. It’s just nice when good things happen to good people.”

Feldman is very passionate about battling childhood cancer, Bentley said. She has not only worked to raise money but also has worked with Lamar Advertising this September to put billboards all across the United States and Canada highlighting childhood cancer. She also is working with U.S. Sen. Katie Britt on legislation to increase federal funding to battle childhood cancer and planning her next sit-up challenge, in which she gets 30 celebrities to do 25 sit-ups each as part of a cancer awareness campaign.

By winning Miss Alabama's Teen, Feldman qualifies for a four-year full-tuition scholarship to Auburn, and she was offered full-tuition scholarships to numerous other universities. She also receives a $7,500 scholarship for winning Miss Alabama’s Teen, as well as a $500 scholarship for winning the community service award, $350 for winning her talent preliminary and $250 for winning her evening gown preliminary.

She plans to pursue a double major in college in elementary education and business management at Auburn and to try out for the Tiger Eyes majorette line in April. She already is on the Teen USA baton twirling team and will be trying out for it again in July of this year to be part of the USA team that will compete in August 2027 at the International Baton Twirling Federation world competition.

At Miss Alabama’s Teen, she performed for 90 seconds to a medley from “Pirates of the Caribbean” and plans to do the same routine at Miss America’s Teen, she said.

Feldman previously served as Miss Jefferson County’s Teen 2025, Miss Shelby County’s Teen 2024, Miss Appalachian Valley’s Outstanding Teen 2023 and Miss Lee County Fair’s Outstanding Teen 2022.

Here is the complete top five for Miss Alabama’s Teen 2026:

  • Miss Alabama’s Teen Grier Feldman (Miss Hoover’s Teen)
  • First runner-up: Cambree Crumpton, Miss Iron City
  • Second runner-up: Maddie Rasco, Miss Jefferson County
  • Third runner-up: Ella Birdsong, Miss Irondale (a sophomore at Spain Park High School)
  • Fourth runner-up: Kate Hendon, Miss Oak Mountain