Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Miss Hoover’s Teen Ali Mims performs an aria during the third annual Joyful Noise Talent Show at Double Oak Community Church on Jan. 12. Proceeds from the talent show benefit bringing music classes and instruments to special needs classrooms in the state of Alabama.
Ali Mims developed a love for music and singing as a toddler, and music has played a big part of her life for all of her nearly 17 years.
And now Mims, who is Miss Hoover’s Teen 2024, is busy not only preparing for the Miss Alabama’s Teen competition coming up in March but also sharing her love of music with special needs children across the state.
Mims created an organization called Joyful Noise several years ago, and last year it became an official 501(c)3 nonprofit. The Joyful Noise Foundation raises money to put musical instruments in special needs classes.
According to Mims, about 75% of schools in Alabama do not offer music education to special needs students.
“That genuinely breaks my heart,” she said. And she’s doing something about it.
Her foundation has already raised enough money to donate musical instruments for special needs students at more than 20 schools.
Schools file grant applications, and once the money is raised, her foundation provides drums, tambourines, maracas, egg shakers and glockenspiels, she said. She typically sends five to eight of each instrument per school, she said.
She also sends a copy of a book she has written, called “Make Music With Joy;” a coloring book she created called, “Make a Joyful Noise;” and a QR code that links to information on how to use the instruments to play a song she wrote.
Mims, whose middle name is Joy, said she has had a heart for people with special needs ever since she was a little girl. Some of her best friends in elementary school had special needs, and she believes that music can play a part in helping special needs students develop skills they need to succeed in life, she said.
Music therapy and music education have worked in hospitals, she said — not to mention the fact that it just brings a lot of joy.
“You can see the smiles that come over their faces and you can see them just light up when they have an instrument,” she said.
Mims, who is a junior at Chelsea High School, plans to attend Auburn University and major in music education and music therapy. “I love, love working with children,” she said.
She has already visited Children’s Hospital and schools such as the Linda Nolen Learning Center in Alabaster and introduced the children to various musical instruments. She also enjoys teaching children how to make rhythm with both drums and everyday household items. Some children who can’t afford instruments can still experience the joy of making music with other items, she said.
Working with special needs students has truly been a joy for her, Mims said.
“So far, it has been one of the best, most amazing things I’ve done in my entire life,” she said. “That’s what the plan is for the rest of my life.”
Alabama football coach Nick Saban and his wife, Terry, purchased some copies of Mims’ book for the Rise Center at the University of Alabama, which serves students with disabilities, and Terry Saban read the book to students there on Read Across America Day.
“I thought that was awesome,” Mims said. “I was very excited about that.”
Her book was released in October 2022, and her coloring book came out in April of last year. Both are available on Amazon.
Mims formerly lived in Chelsea and moved to Harpersville about four years ago. She has been a cheerleader since the sixth grade and now is on the varsity cheer squad at Chelsea High School. She also is on the Student Leadership Board and in the Key Club and Future Teachers of America.
This will be her third year to compete in the Miss Alabama’s Teen competition. Two years ago, Mims competed as Miss Shelby County’s Teen, and last year she was Miss Tuscaloosa’s Teen. She made the top 10 in the Miss Alabama’s Teen competition both of those years. This year, she’s hoping the third time will be the charm.
Mims said she is thankful to be able to represent Hoover this year. She attends Metropolitan Church of God, which has a lot of people from Hoover, and she sings on the youth worship team there.
Her mother, Haley Houston, is the worship leader and choir director at the church and is a music teacher at Mt Laurel Elementary School, so she has been blessed to essentially have a built-in music teacher at home all her life, Mims said.
Her mother also competed in the Miss Alabama competition for four years, from 1997 to 2000, as Miss Shelby County, Miss Samford University, Miss Magic City and Miss Camellia (in Greenville). She won the Miss Alabama talent competition three of those four years and was among the top five contestants in her final year.
Houston said it has been exciting for her to watch her daughter compete in Miss Alabama’s Teen and work hard to reach her dreams and goals and try to make the world a better place.
“She’s so passionate and wants to do something about it,” Houston said.
Competing in Miss Alabama taught Houston a lot of life skills that she still uses to this day, and she is thrilled to see her daughter develop skills as well, she said.
“Her learning how to form opinions about things at a young age and verbalize it and have confidence to speak up” are all things that are so important, especially for women, Houston said.
For her talent, Mims plans to sing “O Mio Babbino Caro,” an opera song about a woman who begs her father to let her marry the love of her life.
“It’s my favorite song to sing,” Mims said. “I love it.”
Mims has been busy attending various events in Hoover as well, including the Taste of Hoover at Aldridge Gardens, a Hoover City Council meeting, the 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony at the Riverchase Galleria, Hay Hoover! at Veterans Park, Ho Ho Hoover at the Hoover-Randle Home & Gardens and the city’s Christmas tree lighting at Hoover City Hall. She also sang the national anthem at the Ady’s Racers event for children with autism at the Barber Motorsports Park.
Mims said she’s grateful for all the support and help she has received from people and businesses in the Hoover community in getting ready for Miss Alabama’s Teen.
“I feel really prepared this year,” she said. “I am super, super excited. I’m not even really nervous. They’ve done an amazing job supporting me.”
The Miss Alabama’s Teen competition is scheduled for March 9-10 at Thompson High School. Mims will be one of 38 contestants. She is scheduled to perform her talent at 2 p.m. on March 9 and participate in the evening gown and fitness competitions at 7 p.m. Then, on March 10 at 2 p.m., the top 15 will be announced, and the field will be narrowed down to the top five, including the winner.
The city is holding a sendoff party for her on Monday, Feb. 5, at 5 p.m. at Hoover City Hall.
