Kathy Emery wants all girls to know that dreams do come true.
As Miss Teen North Okanagan-World 2011, Emery is fulfilling her dream of modeling and competing in pageants.
“As well as this dream of mine, I thought was a great opportunity for a small town girl to represent her hometown,” said Emery, a Grade 12 student at Pleasant Valley secondary school in Armstrong. “I also saw an opportunity to be a role model for other girls all across the province.”
Earlier this year, Emery earned her title when she participated in Miss Teen B.C.-World 2011 in Richmond. There, she qualified for the National Miss Teen Canada-World pageant to be held July 16 in Toronto.
“I am looking forward to being able to be a role model for younger girls, I hope to travel with my title, and I also hope to gain better people skills and more confidence,” she said. “Also from this experience I’m really hoping it can further me into runway modeling or even more pageants.”
Emery said she appreciates the support she has had from family along the way, as well as from local businesses that have sponsored her participation.
“First and foremost I would like to thank my mother for all her support and everything she has done to help me in this large adventure I have chosen to take,” she said. “Also a large thank-you to Heather and her staff at Jaci Lynn’s for all the assistance with my dresses. Then another thank you to the staff at Big Sun for all the help with choosing and buying my bathing suit.”
While Emery is looking forward to her trip to Toronto, she still enjoys all of the things most high school students enjoy: basketball, dance, working on the year book and participation in Me to We. She has also completed the cosmetology course at PVSS and is hoping to use her hair dressing course to help further her future plans. She also enjoys travelling and staying in touch with her friends.
“After graduation, I plan on staying in the area and promoting my title as much as possible, and maybe just continue working where I currently work at the Deep Creek General Store,” she said.
When her reign ends in March 2012, she hopes to do some travelling before moving to Vancouver or Calgary to pursue her hairdressing career.
“So far, the highlight of this experience was being able to make an appearance at Cherryville Days and being able to talk with the young candidates who were running for Little Miss and Miss Cherryville.
“It was amazing to see these beautiful young ladies all had a dream. A dream to be like me, their dream was to be a role model, to volunteer, and to be a great ambassador for the community.”
