Being a teenager can be difficult, but being a thirteen-year-old straight-A student, student body leader, dancer, and fashion model has additional challenges to those faced by most middle schoolers.
“Everyone is very judgmental. At my middle school it is known that I model, and most times I’m expected to always look perfect,” said Ammilyn Deita, who models through Los Angeles based companies Kids Dream Design and Miss Philippines USA, according to Manila Standard.
While Deita faces many pressures both to maintain a flawless appearance and to fit in with her peers, modeling has also had a positive influence on her life.
“Modeling is tough. But the experience is very amazing. The whole process is cool to see in person instead of on TV or on social media. Before modeling I was just a scholar who danced,” she said.
For the last few weeks, Deita has been vacationing in Manila and visiting extended family. She and her mother believe these trips are therapeutic and important in maintaining a healthy mental state.
“She’s a brave girl because she’s not ashamed of telling people of her emotional struggles being a teenager in the 21st century,” said Deita’s mother. “I can say she is getting better through regular self-therapy coupled with the love and support of her family and friends.”
Deita’s parents, both from the Philippines, were married at the Manila Cathedral in 1996. They now reside in California, where they have been raising Deita and her older brother who plays football.
In the future, Deita hopes her career might advance to the international level, where she can inspire millennials worldwide to be more self confident.
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