American Idol girls' competition beginning

It's do-or-die time for Joplin's Asia'h Epperson as viewers will begin to vote tonight on who will remain on American Idol.
The final 12 female candidates remaining out of thousands at the beginning of the competition.
Miss Epperson is part of what is being described as the strongest group of American Idol candidates in history. Two females and two males will be eliminated Thursday night. (The 12 male finalists competed Tuesday night.)

The excitement was beginning to build today at South Middle School where I teach. Many of the students know Miss Epperson and are thrilled to see someone they know being the focus of all of this attention. Miss Epperson attended South from the 2001-2001 school year through 2002-2003.