Pageant builds self-esteem, acceptance in competitors
Thomasina “Tommi” Cummings plans to rock and roll all night with a touch of beauty and grace.
“I feel happy,” said Thomasina, 14, on how she feels about her upcoming pageant.
Thomasina, who is an Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities Tillotson School eight-grader, is one of 13 contestants competing in the
Sixth Annual I'm a Star Pageant, which is open to all special-needs girls in kindergarten through 12th grade at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Crossfire campus of First United Methodist Church, 1802 N. Main St. Ext.Dimit Baldacci, owner of Jen's Academy of Rhythm and Moves located inside the Clearview Mall, was inspired in 2008 to create the pagent when she saw Miss Iowa Abbey Curran, who was born with cerebral palsy, become the first contestant with a disability to ever compete in the Miss USA pageant.This is an excerpt — find out what Thomasina's talent will be in Wednesday's Butler Eagle or
