The Chronicle

No dream too big for Katayah

- Amy Lyne amy.lyne@thechronic­le.com.au

A TOOWOOMBA girl is determine to show other young people there is no dream too big or small to achieve.

Twelve-year-old Katayah Lewis has entered into the Miss Diamond Australia modelling competitio­n, her biggest yet.

Katayah started competing in modelling competitio­ns a couple of years ago, with the help of her mother Joanne Torrens. Those included a local Aboriginal model search, Miss Country Girl Australia and Glamourgen­ics pageants.

“I love to lose my shyness in front of a lot of people and you make a lot of friends,” Katayah said.

“I love to do my make-up. I love the photograph­ic side of it. It’s really cool to take photos.”

Ms Torrens said as part of the competitio­n, her daughter had to do public appearance­s and also raise

❝ I love to lose my shyness in front of a lot of people.

— Katayah Lewis

money for a charity - which they hoped to do through a family fun day.

“I think it gives them more of a taste of what they have to look forward to if they do pursue it as a career and the things that a supermodel has to go through,” she said.

Ms Torrens explained they had chosen to raise money for Autism Australia.

“We chose Autism Australia because Katayah is diagnosed with Aspergers and growing up there is not much out there on Aspergers, not much awareness about it,” she said.

Katayah will compete in Miss Diamond Australia at the Brisbane Entertainm­ent Centre on April 7.

 ?? PHOTO: BEV LACEY ?? PURSUING HER DREAMS: Katayah Lewis, 12, is competing in the Miss Diamond Australia modelling competitio­n.
PHOTO: BEV LACEY PURSUING HER DREAMS: Katayah Lewis, 12, is competing in the Miss Diamond Australia modelling competitio­n.

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