Nor'West News: July 26, 2016

NOR’WEST NEWS Tuesday July 26 2016 9
News
Injuries fail to stand in model’s path
• By Georgia O’Connor-
Harding
A NEAR miss from being
paralysed has encouraged
a Papanui High School
student to make most of
her opportunities and try
her hand in the modelling
scene.
Michaelee-Jayne McDonald,
16, won the Portfolio
Model Search 2016 out of 80
entries.
Each contestant sent in a
photo of themselves from
Facebook or Instagram.
The winner was selected by
a panel of judges from the
Portfolio Model Agency.
Michaelee-Jayne, who had
always been interested in
modelling, said she tried out
for the competition because
she wanted to make the
most of her opportunities.
The keen surfer’s perspective
on life completely
changed last year after an
accident nearly left her
paralysed.
“I was at Sumner and I
was surfing up to the beach
to get a drink and I forgot I
was about 30cm deep and
I dived off my board headfirst,”
she said.
The accident caused her to
break her jaw, nose and have
about 80 internal stitches.
She said the doctors had
told her she was lucky not to
be paralysed. The accident
had opened up her mind to
getting the most out of life.
But in spite of the scare,
Michaelee-Jayne still enjoys
surfing when she can and
hopes to edge her way into
surf and general sports’
modelling.
Not only does Michaelee-
Jayne surf, she plays competitive
touch rugby and
netball for her school.
On top of her sports
development, she is taking
all science options at school
in the hope of becoming an
anaesthetist or mechanical
civil engineer.
The modelling competition
was for aspiring models
aged between 14-21.
Michaelee-Jayne, along
with several other finalists,
were awarded a contract
with the city’s premier modelling
agency.
Agency director Mel
Radford Brown said the
standard was high and
the agency was glad to
have met the nine finalists
for the competition last
week.
Mrs Radford Brown described
Michaelee-Jayne as a
stunning natural beauty.
“She just stuck out a mile
away and I think the public
will really love her, too,” she
said.
While Michaelee-Jayne is
new to the modelling scene,
she said she is a confident
person, enjoys having her
photo taken and is keen to
learn more.
She said to anyone else
wanting to try modelling to
give it a go.
“Don’t hold yourself
back, as cliche as it sounds
. . . don’t worry about what
other people think,” she
said.
HEALED: After a
surfing accident
which nearly left
near paralysed,
Michaelee-Jayne
McDonald has fully
recovered and has
been scouted by
the Portfolio Model
Agency.