Schools
Meet Tatamy's "Whiz Kid" Dallas Maddock
Tatamy resident Dallas Maddock discovers that a little song and dance spreads a lot of joy.
When holiday season rolls around, the last place anyone wants to be is in a hospital or doctor's office, but one 10-year-old girl uses a little song and dance to bring the much-needed cheer.
During the 2010 holiday season, Travis Maddock asked his daughter, Dallas Maddock, if she would sing for him and the other patients at .
Travis has been battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma for eight years, according to his wife Laurie Maddock, and Dallas would occasionally keep her dad company during his chemotherapy treatments.
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“I wanted to put smiles on people’s faces [who] have sicknesses,” Dallas said, adding that she hoped her performances would help the patients forget about their problems for a little while. “It’s fun for me, so I hope it’s fun for them.”
According to Dallas, she sang songs like “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”
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“They were looking at each other smiling and laughing,” Dallas said. “The nurses thought I did really well. They clapped for me.”
Afterward, Dallas said her dad “put his hand on my shoulder and said I did a good job.”
According to the girl's mother, Dallas "has an amazing heart and likes to give without expecting in return.”
With the 2012 holiday season rapidly approaching, Dallas wouldn't mind showcasing her talents once again for the patients. According to Dallas, her father’s treatments have changed, so she isn’t sure when she’ll return to the cancer treatment center.
Dallas isn’t a stranger to performing. According to the Tatamy resident, she has loved to sing since she was two years old. Her inspiration is Taylor Swift.
Dallas currently takes piano lessons from Joanne Campbell in Nazareth, in addition to singing and dance lessons at the in Bethlehem. She was cast in the theater’s production of “Cinderella” and in the upcoming performance of “Annie.”
But that's not all -- Dallas:
- Takes gymnastics and cheerleading at Valley Elite Cheerleading Training Center in Forks Township.
- Is a fifth-grade homeschool student.
- Is enrolled in the Commonwealth Connections Academy Charter School.
- Enjoys the subject of science, but would like to become a singer.