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Brooke Walker, Studio 5Last month, Studio 5 announced their "Teen Scene" makeover contest. This is an opportunity for a struggling teen to build true confidence both inside and out.
They announced the winner live on the show this morning. The winning nomination came from a caring mother who wants nothing more than to give her daughter the chance to discover just how beautiful she really is.
Krista Miles was surprised to learn her mother had nominated her, but she was even more surprised to learn she won. "She started explaining, 'Obviously, you get a makeover,'" Krista remembered. "I said, ‘OK, I can live with that.' Then you get these classes for confidence. I can live with that. Then you have to be in front of the camera. OK, I can't live with that," she laughed.
Though she wasn't completely "camera comfortable," Krista opened her home and her heart and shared with us her hopes. "I would like to have more confidence because I understand confidence makes you look better inside and out," Krista explained. "I would like to be able to stand up to people when I disagree with what they are saying, to not have to feel like I have to follow the crowd. I would like to trust people and feel more open with people."
Krista's confidence was shaken at a young age. She spent her first few years in and out of foster care, and at only 6 years of age said good-bye to her birth mother. "Even after I was born, my mom went back to the drugs," Krista said. "I ended up not being her daughter because she chose things over me. I thought in the back of my head, the imprint on me was I wasn't good enough, that she chose that over me."
It was a violation of trust that stayed with Krista, affecting all aspects of her life. "I didn't feel comfortable and I didn't feel perfect enough. I didn't feel pretty enough, I didn't feel smart enough, anything enough for people," Krista explained.
"I want to be happy with myself," she confided. "On and off I am happy with myself, but I want there to be a constant. If I'm overweight, if I'm not dressed perfectly, if I'm having an off day, I still want to be able to be happy with me, to love me."
This morning on Studio 5, Krista met her "confidence coach" Amber Evans. Amber is the New Faces director at the McCarty Talent Agency and is currently writing a book on inner beauty.
Over the next four weeks, Amber will work to help Krista develop that true inner confidence. In addition to a head-to-toe style makeover, Krista will receive one-on-one personal coaching, an opportunity she describes as "unbelievable."
"If I can truly find it in myself to be comfortable and to be honest with other people and help other people feel comfortable with themselves, I would feel so happy," she said.
To read the e-mail Krista's mother, Dennelle Miles, sent to us, just click the related link.
