Baylor Bass, daughter of Adam and Britney Bass, began her pageant journey at a young age and hasn’t quit since. Bass is now a senior at Benton High School and thanks to her hard work and determination, she’s earned many titles, including her most recent one – Miss Louisiana High School America. 

Through this experience, her director and fellow Collegiate and Junior High queens have become like close family. Though there were pre-pageant jitters, Baylor channeled her inner Sharpay Evans from Disney’s High School Musical by doing her iconic vocal exercise to calm any nerves and rock the stage. 

“I always do that before I go on stage or before I go in an interview because I honestly believe that she was on to something,” she laughed. 

Bass’s participation with the Miss High School America Organization has been what she describes as phenomenal. 

“This title has been unreal. It has been such an amazing opportunity and I’m really grateful,” she said. 

The Miss High School America Pageant took place in Little Rock, and she was able to meet girls from all over the United States who had the honor of representing their home state. Bass’s favorite part was seeing what each girl brought from their state to share where they came from and the things they are passionate about. 

With Baylor representing Louisiana, she’s been able to partner with a lot of local vendors like Sloan’s Formals and even a travel agency that allowed her to go on a cruise to Mexico with her fellow Louisiana and Mississippi Junior High, High, and Collegiate queens. 

Bass loves public speaking and attributes her passion to her grandmother, Susan Hartsfield. Ms. Hartsfield was a Bossier Parish teacher who impacted many lives during her time in the classroom. Hartsfield passed away in 2024, but Baylor loves to remember her legacy in such a special way. 

Pageants are a great way to combine the glitz and glam with the strength of public speaking and putting yourself out there.

“I would really encourage girls to get into pageants because it’s helped my confidence,” she said. “I was always very extroverted and have always loved to talk to other people, but I would say that pageants have also helped me gain friends.” 

The experiences have allowed Bass to gain friends all over the United States, which she says, as a teenager, can be helpful. An impactful friendship that has left a lasting impression on Bass is with Kadance Fredericksen from Baker, Florida. Bass met her through the Princess America Organization and sparked a friendship. 

“She was one of those friends where we wouldn’t talk for a week and then we would talk and it’s like we never left,” she said. “She would always give me advice, she would coach me. She was a phenomenal friend.”

Although Kadance’s time on earth was cut short, Baylor is continuing to keep her legacy alive by supporting her non-profit organization Kada’s Promise. Kada’s Promise aims to give comfort and support for children who are going through difficult times, whether that be hospitalization, temporary housing in homeless shelters, transitioning into foster care, or even recovering from abuse and trauma by providing comfort through teddy bears. One of her frequent philanthropic efforts is her teddy bear drives, where she delivers teddies to places like the Providence House to bring comfort to kids in our area. 

“It’s one of my favorite things to do,” she explained. “It’s just having that memory of her…I really do that to continue on her legacy because I know that she would do the same thing for me, and it just makes me feel more connected to her.”

Through her pageant experiences, she’s also remained an active participant in her school, church, and dance studio, Vicki’s School of Dance, where she’s a member of their High School Performing Group.

“My favorite thing to do is dance,” she said. 

It’s allowed her even more opportunities to travel and dance in places she never thought possible. From performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with the Benton Tiger Girls to dancing on stage with her favorite studio at the most Magical Place on Earth, Disney World, Baylor loves to perform and loves the time she’s spent with friends she’s made through dance. 

“They are all sweet, amazing girls,” she explained. “They are all so talented!” 

Bass is also a member of several Benton High School organizations, like Random Acts of Kindness, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Tiger Talk News, and Student Council, where she serves as the Senior Class President for the Class of 2026, as well as the current reigning Miss Benton High. That is just scratching the surface of her involvement! 

When she’s not at school, she’s active in her church, Cypress Baptist, and helping teach dance at Vicki’s School of Dance. She’s grateful to be a mentor to little dancers and be a part of their dance journey. Bass describes the girls as being full of life, and she’s honored to play a role in seeing them become confident in their dancing.

Bass’s connection to her hometown is special. From representing her high school to even her state, she truly believes Benton is special, and it’s all thanks to the people. 

“It really is the community, I love that there are so many places to get plugged in to, I love my hometown,” she said. “Honestly, I love my family and this community. I truly believe there’s no place like home, just like Dorothy says in The Wizard of Oz.” 

Upon completing her senior year of high school, Baylor intends to enroll at Louisiana Tech and continue her streak of being involved and making a difference. If you are interested in supporting her work with local organizations like the Providence House, you can visit @misslahighschoolamerica on Instagram and shop the Amazon Wishlist in the bio.