 She won an award for best young artist of the year in Arizona three years in a row.Before appearing on "American Idol", Sparks participated in and won such talent competitions as Coca-Cola's Rising Star, the Gospel Music Association Academy's Overall Spotlight Award, "America's Most Talented Kids", Colgate Country Showdown, and the "2006 Drug Free AZ Superstar Search".From the time Jordin was nine years old until her win as American Idol 2007, her maternal grandmother, Pam Wiedmann, managed her.