Pilbara Girl hopes to help out others
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, according to Lisa Marie Rodd, who was crowned 2012 Pilbara Girl in front of an excited crowd at the finals in Karratha last month.
The program, which delivers workshops in professional development, deportment, grooming and modelling before heats and finals, aims to seek out a role model and mentor who is beautiful both inside and out.
With an innocent and unassuming manner, and the promise of a great role model about her, the 16-year-old Bunjuma girl from Karratha was a decided standout for judges.
Counting family and friends high on her list of interests, which also included shopping, fishing, going out bush, pets, netball and school, Ms Rodd told judges she would one day like to study to become a veterinarian.
As Pilbara Girl 2012, she now hoped to help her community through its youth groups, and to encourage other young indigenous girls so “that they can follow their dreams and achieve their goals”.
“Even if you don’t believe you’re beautiful, you can show the Pilbara beauty on Pilbara Girl,” she said. “Everyone is beautiful.”
Ms Rodd follows in the footsteps of 2011 Pilbara Girl winner Samarah Brown of Port Hedland.
Other young Pilbara women inspired to become involved with the program next year can look out for calls for entries during February next year, ahead of Pilbara Girl 2013 starting in July.
After Goolarri Media held a heat for its wildly successful Kimberley Girl program in Roebourne in 2010, it was obvious there was a niche to be found in the Pilbara, according to Goolarri Media chief operations officer and Kimberley Girl founder Kira Fong.
Ms Fong said crowds doubled this year for Pilbara Girl and private sponsorship has also steadily grown, showing great promise for the program’s future in the region.
“It’s really exciting to see the community embrace it – without that support, of sponsorship, audience numbers and participation from the girls, we wouldn’t have been able to replicate the program,” she said.
“But we’re pretty sure it will continue to great strength in the Pilbara.”
