#Teamalexis posters are on display around town. Watch parties have been held at SouthBrook Christian Church, where Alexis is a worship leader and her dad, Solomon Gomez, works as weekend leader.
“It so awesome to see that kind of support,” said Gomez, a 2014 Wright State University graduate.
The 22-year-old self-described “hippy Mexican hillbilly” said appearing on the hit singing competition show has been a whirl.
“It’s been so surreal,” she said. “Literally, you are sitting back and watching your dreams come true before your eyes.”
The Centerville High School made it into American Idol’s top 16 last week. She’ll return for the next show, which airs on Wednesday, March 11 at 8 p.m.
The top 12 singers will be selected and will sing for votes that night. Results from the top 12 will be shown on Thursday night (March 12), and one contestant will be eliminated.
A singer since childhood, Alexis is far from ready to give up on her Idol dreams and return to Dayton, but there are a few things she misses about life in the Miami Valley. Food was first on her list.
"Bill's Donuts. We always hang out there. We love having a place like that in our hometown," she said. "Dayton has the best food. I think we have the best restaurants."
An outdoor lover, Alexis spends a lot of time exploring Grant Nature Center, a Centerville-Washington Twp. Park District park at 401 Normandy Ridge Road, and exploring 2nd Street Market.
"I love Marion's (Piazza). I love the Don Pablos by Wright State."
The car buff (she rebuilt her first car, a 85 Mustang, at age 16) threw in The Dixie Dairy Dreem for good measure.
“That was my favorite place to go growing up,” Alexis said.
More than that, she misses Dayton’s people. She said she feels likes she is in a small town no matter where she goes in theses parts.
“We are such a supportive community,” she said.
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