Mikaela Kawaley-Lathan has a wonderful quality her mother would love to capture — oodles of energy combined with girlish charm. This vivacious seven-year-old, with her dimpled smile and sparkling eyes, won the Mid-Ocean News Baby Pageant in 2000 and has been stealing the hearts of friends and family ever since.

But don’t be fooled by her spunky personality and her love of skipping, Mikaela, who is a P3 pupil at Saltus, is also talented — and plays the piano and takes classes in ballet, tap and jazz.

“My older brother Adrian is teaching me to play the drums,” Mikaela chuckles. “I love classical music, jazz and Suzuki.”

Giving the Mid-Ocean News <$>a tour of her room, Mikaela proudly shows off her amazing collection of elephants, including stuffed-toys, items of clothing and crockery — totalling some 17 items.

Her proud parents, Kathy and Rich, are quick to point out that Mikaela also loves to read and can easily finish three books before lunchtime, while also writing short stories she lovingly shares with the family.

“Reading and writing is more fun than playing on the computer,” Mikaela boasts, adding that her favourite book is Wizard’s Hall.

Her mother admits that after entering her in the 1999 Baby Contest and not being successful, they were approached by several people who felt Mikaela should have won.

“And then she did win the following year which was quite amazing, but I think it’s more about the photos.”

Mrs. Kawaley-Lathan points out that Mikaela’s photos were taken by the Mall Photo Studio and that one is still “hanging on their wall”. While her parents are talking, Mikaela is bouncing around the room.

“It goes like this all day,” her mother chuckles. “She’s 98 percent energy and I just wish I could bottle whatever she has.”

Mrs. Kawaley-Lathan believes it is more important for Mikaela to be a beautiful person on the inside and does not think she will push her to participate in any other pageants: “She’s also not that fashion fussy.”

“The difficult part is getting her to slow down. She’ll keep going until she drops,” her father concedes, adding that despite this, of their four children, Mikaela is probably the “mellow” one.

When asked what she wants to be when she grows up, Mikaela replies “an actress” without any hesitation.

“What else?” her mother responds with a laugh. “She just loves having her photograph taken.”