BASHFUL TO BOLD

by Gayle Cunningham

I have been a parent involved with Island Child Style for the past 6 years. I have helped out as a volunteer, I have corralled eager, excitable, bold models in training and I have sat back and watched my daughtersbecome.

BECOMING BOLD.

One wouldn’t know this at first glance when looking at me, but I am quite shy and somewhat of an introvert. Ok, an introvert with some extrovert tendencies may be more apt. Some of my ‘introvertness’ was trained out of me during my stint as a flight attendant with BWIA, prior to motherhood. I credit that training with me now being able to put aside my shyness and walk into any room, and literally speak to anyone about most things without blinking. What does this have to do with anything you may be wondering? Well as it would happen all of my children are as shy as I am, and I really wanted to find ways to introduce them to the other side of shyness. Thanks to Island Child Style, Michelle, Brandon, Norma and their team, I can honestly say that they have discovered themselves, in spite of their shyness.

Watching Brandon, Michelle and Norma work with these young children, moulding, pruning and coaxing out the potential that they all have is a sight to behold. (Yes, I peeked…. a lot.) The children are trained to be BOLD. To walk with confidence. To stand tall. Discipline, patience, tolerance are also learned. You wouldn’t think you would get all that from a little fashion show. But that is just the thing - it is not just about walking the runway, it’s about emboldening young people to walk on life’s runway. Ignoring the naysayers and the noise and focusing on the end goal. It’s about tapping into their potential and showing their best selves, especially that ‘self’ they have not yet met.

Watching the little ones is particularly entertaining. I’ve seen them enter on day one with attachment issues - refusing to walk without their Mummies or Daddies nearby, turn into little dynamos beaming full of confidence and vigor, with little or no concern for their parents’ whereabouts. And those little ones that came in full of bravado, attitude and cute character grew even braver and bolder, while learning that there is su cient light to shine on everyone. The transformation of the gawking, giggly tweens and teens into elegant, poised young people is nothing short of amazing. I’m honoured to witness truly an Island Child Style transformation from bashful to BOLD.

Gayle Cunningham Mother of 4, 2 of them BOLD models.