A University of Iowa student will travel the state as Miss Iowa for the year
By Megan Sanchez | [email protected]
At 9 years old, Taylor Wiebers knew she wanted to become Miss Clinton County.
She had a heart for her hometown, a background in dance, and a passion for pediatric cancer patients. Little did she know, at 20 years old, she would win the Miss Clinton County crown and go on to also win Miss Iowa.
Wiebers, a now 21-year-old Clinton native, was crowned Miss Iowa in June. After a great run at the 2016 Miss America contest in Atlantic City, New Jersey, she is getting ready to spend the year touring Iowa.
Her passion for pediatric cancer blossomed when she was in third grade. The focus of her tour will be to talk to as many third-grade classes in Iowa as possible, in hopes to spark a passion in them.
“That’s when I sparked my interest, and it’s so easy to help kids help other kids,” Wiebers said. “I want to instill that community service, and they might not be as passionate as I was about pediatric cancer, but it could help them become passionate about something else.”
Wiebers’ platform, “Kicking it to Kids Cancer,” supports the St. Baldrick’s Foundation — a nonprofit that funds children’s cancer research largely through people raising money by shaving their heads.
Wiebers shaved her head at age 16. Her marketing director, Rachael Vopatek, said she was blown away by Wiebers’ boldness to rid of her long locks just before junior prom.
Vopatek met Wiebers when she was crowned Little Miss Clinton County at age 9.
“Taylor was just somebody that everyone fell in love with immediately,” she said. “She was full of personality even at 9. She was always really good with adults; as a 9-year-old girl, she was someone who could have a conversation with anybody.”
Wiebers won Miss Iowa on her fourth try at the pageant with the local title of Miss Clinton County. She also competed in 2014 as Miss River City, in 2013 as Miss Johnson County, and in 2012 as Miss Scott County.
“When she finally got that Miss Clinton County title, she really decided she wanted to be Miss Iowa,” Vopatek said. “You just saw a change as soon as she was crowned. “
Wiebers said she stayed determined. Even though on her third try she only placed in the top 10, she said, she knew if she worked hard, she could win Miss Iowa.
Wiebers won two preliminary awards at the Miss America pageant, one of which was for the Lifestyle and Fitness competition, or swimsuit round, the other was for Artistic Expression, or talent. Although Wiebers took the pageant stage as a tap dancer when she was younger, she now sings for talent.
Once Wiebers finishes her yearlong tour as Miss Iowa, she will return to the University of Iowa to finish her degree in communication studies and her certificate in nonprofit management.
“We knew that [Miss America] was her ultimate goal, and just to watch that dream come true was a dream come true for us,” her mother, Shannon Nielsen ,said. “She looked like she belonged on that stage and she did. She gave them everything she had to offer. It couldn’t have been any better. It was a very positive experience for her and for us.”