Kayla Kosmalski, Down syndrome activist and social media star, wins Miss Delaware Teen USA 2024

Delaware News Journal

History was made at the Miss Delaware Teen USA Pageant on Sunday night as a familiar face took home the major title.

Kayla Kosmalski, the 17-year-old senior at Middletown High School, is a varsity cheerleader, actress and activist who can now add Miss Delaware Teen USA to her repertoire. She is the first contestant with Down syndrome to ever win the title.

Kayla Kosmalski from Middletown made history as the first person with Down syndrome to be crowned Miss Delaware Teen 2024.

On April 28, the Miss Delaware USAand Miss Delaware Teen USA Pageant competitions were held at the Laird Performing Art Center at the Tatnall School in Wilmington. Kosmalski charmed the judges with her strength, wit and determination and took home the title of Miss Delaware Teen USA.

Kosmalski's mom, Amy, took to Instagram the night before the pageant to offer up her unwavering support for her daughter. In her post, she mentioned that Kayla had felt confident after her interview with the judges for Miss Delaware Teen USA.

"The judges asked her why she wants to be Miss Delaware Teen USA, to which Kayla replied, 'I want to show the world people with Down syndrome can do anything," the post said.

Kayla Kosmalski, 17, of Middletown, went viral on TikTok in 2023 for celebrating World Down Syndrome, which led her to getting discovered and making her acting debut in the film 'I Win,' a drama that spreads awareness about down syndrome.

This year was Kosmalski's second time competing for the title after she had already won Miss Middletown Teen USA in 2021 and Miss Dover Teen 2024. Kosmalski was crowned this year for the statewide title alongside Alysa Bainbridge, who won Miss Delaware USA 2024.

The spotlight is nothing new to Kayla or her family. The new Miss Delaware Teen met then-Vice President Joe Biden when she was 8 years old, as her family advocated for Congress to pass the ABLE Act, renamed the Kayla Act in Delaware, which ensures that people with disabilities are able to have their own savings account similar to a 529 college savings fund.

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With more than 340,000 followers on TikTok, Kayla and her mom have racked up tens of millions of views showing clips from her daily life and advocating for the equal treatment of disabled people. In March, Kayla nabbed a leading role in the film "I Win," an inspirational drama that shines a light on individuals with Down syndrome.

TikTok star Kayla Kosmalski, 17, of Middletown, appears in a scene from the film "I Win," a drama that spreads awareness about Down syndrome.

As a senior at Middletown High School, Kayla is looking ahead to her future in education. She's already been accepted to many four-year universities like Penn State, the University of Delaware, Immaculata University and more. Wherever she decides to go, she has stated that she plans on studying communications and theater in school.

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Kayla is now headed to the national stage, representing Delaware in the Miss Teen USA Pageant, which will take place Aug. 1 and be available for viewing on the CW Network.

Molly McVety covers community and environmental issues around Delaware. Contact her at mmcvety@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @mollymcvety.