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When Miss Montana Alexis Wineman puts on her evening gown and walks onto the Miss America competition stage on Saturday, she'll do so not just as this year's youngest contestant (she's 18), but also as its first-ever contestant with autism. Diagnosed at 11, Wineman says she has "very mild symptoms," including melting down in stressful situations, occasional difficulty communicating and taking things literally. But she says these things are now a part of who she is and hopes her pageant appearance will help raise awareness for others coping with autism. [Source]

Sponsored by Onkyo Corporation and The Braille Mainichi The submission deadline for this contest is April 30, 2010.  The Onkyo Braille essay contest is being administered by the National Federation of the Blind on behalf of the North America-Caribbean Region of the World Blind Union. Essays must be written by contest participants, in English or their native language, in Braille, and must be completely original in nature. Entries should be no fewer than 800 words and no more than 1,000 words in length. There will be two groups of competitors—one Junior group, aged 25 and under; and one Senior group, aged 26 and up and prizes range from $500-$2,000.

One of the best things about Bookshare is that you can take it anywhere you want.  Whether you go on vacation, hang out at a local park, or curl up on a comfy chair at home, you can enjoy Bookshare books wherever you want. This summer, don’t just have fun reading with Bookshare, enter the summer contest and you might win some totally awesome prizes, like an Apple iPad 2! Click here to read the full article

When the "2013 Miss America Competition" airs on ABC this Saturday, Miss Montana Alexis Wineman will be the first autistic competitor in the pageant's history.Wineman was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder and borderline Asperger's syndrome at age 11. She told Time in an interview that her foray into the world of beauty pageants started as a "last-minute way to pay for college." "Around high school graduation, I realized I was the fourth child in my family to go to college, and there was no money left for me," she said. "I asked my mom about different ways to get scholarships, and she mentioned the Miss Montana competition, thinking I’d never go for it. But I did, and I won."

There are girls who spend their lives living out an episode of “Toddlers and Tiaras.” And then there’s Alexis Wineman, a Miss America contestant who entered the pageant world on a whim and now is the first-ever Miss America competitor who lives with autism.

When Alexis Wineman, 18, takes the stage at the 2013 Miss America pageant this Saturday in Las Vegas, the reigning Miss Montana will become the first autistic contestant to compete for the crown. Diagnosed at the age of 11, Wineman’s platform is to raise awareness about the developmental disorder.

Miss America? We’re talking beauty pageants here at GeekMom?? In this case, yes. Alexis Wineman, Miss Montana 2012, is a beautiful young woman. She’s talented. Well-spoken. Poised. She has all of the attributes of a great Miss America. But there’s one little difference between her and the other contestants: Alexis is autistic. When she steps on stage at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, January 12, Alexis — just like all of the other contestants — is hoping for a crown. In her case, she knows that crown will help her bring a better awareness of autism to the world. But you don’t have to sit through beauties in bikinis to support Alexis. This year, viewers and fans can vote for their favorite contestant online. Cast your vote at the Miss America web page or on Facebook before 11:59 PST on January 10, 2013.

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Among this year’s contestants vying for the crown of Miss America, one sets a particular benchmark not visible in evening wear or bathing suits. Alexis Wineman — the 18-year-old wearing the Miss Montana sash — has a form of autism, the first such contender in the pageant. Though she entered the pageant world on a bit of a whim, she's now one of the 53 contestants looking for the grandest sash in the land.

The dream Alexis Wineman barely dared to dream has become a reality.Tomorrow night, the 18-year-old Miss Montana will become the first woman with autism to ever compete in the Miss America pageant."I never liked pageants," she tells E! News. "I thought I was lower, didn't compare to them, that I shouldn't be dreaming about stuff like that. It couldn't become a reality. Now, here I am at Miss America talking to E! News."

Miss Montana first AUTISM Contestant Miss America Pageant | Miss Montana Alexis Wineman Youngest

Alexis Wineman has always been different. And her story of succeeding in spite of her differences needs no embellishment.Wineman, 18, is the first Miss America contestant to be diagnosed with autism. According to the National Institutes of Health, autism is a neurodevelopment disorder whose hallmark feature is impaired social interaction.

Look for Alexis Wineman when she struts her stuff Saturday night in Las Vegas for the2013 Miss America Competition(ABC, 9 p.m.), because she'll be making history.

She has plans to be an art therapist, and says winning the Miss America pageant would give her the opportunity to bring autism awareness to the national stage. "We cannot cure what is not a sickness," says Miss Montana. "But we can begin to understand autism, and help those with the condition to unlock the potential that lies within all of us."

“Growing up, I never was really interested in pageants. I thought it would be something I was never able to do,” said the 18-year-old from Cut Bank, Mont. “But by the time I graduated, I kind of realized I’d done a lot of things I’d never thought I could do.”

Wineman, an 18-year-old from Cut Bank, Mont., made history this weekend as the first person with autism to compete in the 92-year-old beauty pageant. Though she did not become Miss America, Wineman was chosen as “America’s Choice” after beating out the other 52 contestants in an online vote that took place in the weeks leading up to the event.

The folks at AT&T and Autism Speaks hosted an app idea contest that was judged by the people who know autism best, the autism community. Autism Speaks Facebook fans and community members submitted ideas for apps that might make life with autism better organized, more social or just plain easier or more fun.