DALLAS CENTER, Iowa — Twelve-year-old Freddie Powell of Dallas Center won the national title at the 2024 Miss Amazing Summit in ceremonies last week in Rosemont, Illinois. Founded in 2007, Miss Amazing is a self-esteem-building event for girls and women with chronic illnesses and disabilities.
To qualify for the event, Powell first won the statewide Miss Amazing Amplify event held in West Des Moines in March. Similar to the national competition, the statewide contest consisted of an interview, a passion presentation and a formal-wear showcase.
“I have felt the love and support from so many people since I was crowned Iowa Miss Amazing and now as the National Miss Amazing queen,” Powell said, following her coronation.
Freddie said she particularly enjoyed the interview and passion presentations at this year’s contests because it gave her a chance to share her interests, which focus on raising funds to save endangered animals, specifically the vaquita and orangutang.
During the past few years, Freddie has started an Endangered Animals Club at her school, and the club holds periodic lemonade-stand fundraisers. So far she has raised over $1,600 for endangered species conservation.
Freddie said she was able to make a lot of new friends at the national competition and share interests with young women from across the country. She said she and her family are thankful to all of their family and friends for their support throughout this process.
“It has been really neat to be reminded of how many people care about my efforts,” Freddie said. “I hope that as the National Miss Amazing queen, I will be able to show other girls who don’t always fit in that they are special and should be celebrated.”
Freddie has really enjoyed getting to see her friends from Dallas Center, Perry, across central Iowa and her mentor from Madison, Wisconsin, who is also a past National Miss Amazing winner, along with other friends and family members from across the country.
Freddie has a Turner Syndrome diagnosis. She said she hopes her achievements in Miss Amazing will inspire other girls with TS to share their passions with the rest of the world.
The Miss Amazing pageant is a celebration for girls and women ages 10 and up who have an ADA-qualified chronic illness or disability. The pageant aims to ensure equal opportunities for girls with disabilities, to build self-esteem through engagement with every level of society and to dismantle stereotypes and open pathways for personal growth.
