Who is Kayla Kosmalski? All about 18-year-old as she makes history as the first contestant with Down syndrome to compete in Miss Teen USA
Kayla Kosmalski made history as the first Miss Teen USA contestant with Down syndrome. She's a passionate advocate for inclusion, with dreams of becoming an actress and motivational speaker.
![Kayla Kosmalski (Instagram) Instagram](https://www.pinkvilla.com/images/2024-08/637414391_ferrigno-2024-08-09t232208-222.jpg)
-
Kayla became the first contestant with Down syndrome in Miss Teen USA history
-
She is an ambassador for Hearts of Joy International
Last week, history was made by an 18-year-old from Middleton, Delaware named Kayla Kosmalski. She became the first Miss Teen USA contestant with Down syndrome. When she won the title of Miss Delaware Teen USA 2024, she went to Los Angeles for the national pageant.
Kayla’s life in beauty contests started when she was five years old. She was a stage lover and continued participating in contests thereafter. “I want to show the world that people with Down syndrome can do anything,” she claims. Her cause is accepting and including people with Down syndrome. This way, through pageantry, she hopes to give them a chance to dream big like young girls do.
Having just graduated from high school recently, Kayla will be starting at Wilmington University soon for her college education. Communication is what she wants to study as her major. Kayla also belongs to a cheerleading team at the university that has been crowned National Champions already; thus, she has already begun her summer cheer camp.
ALSO READ: Everything About Paris Olympics’ Newest Sport; Breaking
Kayla doesn't only have bigger plans beyond pageants and cheerleading but also her dreams are huge regarding her future aspirations which include acting plus activism as well as motivational speaking engagements too. She is already an ambassador for Hearts of Joy International where they help babies born with Down Syndrome who need heart surgeries to get treatment. Kayla has also championed laws among them, Kayla's Law, that supports people living with disabilities' economic self-sufficiency.
Nevertheless, despite not winning this award of being Miss Teen USA,she received ‘Miss Congeniality’. Her message to the world is clear: “I want to let everyone know to dream big, be brave, be strong, be yourself and keep shining brightly!” According to Vincenza Carrieri-Russo, the executive state director of Miss Delaware USA, “She’s going to conquer the world. Look what she’s done already. I see such a bright future.”
FAQs
![](https://www.pinkvilla.com/assets/images/newsletter-icon.png)