Selita Ebanks' 'Fame School' dream is on its way to the Cayman Islands

Caymanian-born, Selita Ebanks hopes to bring the 
bright lights of performing and entertaining to Cayman 
through an after school programme called 'Stardom'

Friday, January 2, 2004

Budding child entertainers could see their stars shine if they join 'Stardom,' a talent school hopefully opening in Cayman in the coming year.

The driving force behind the school is Caymanian-born Selita Ebanks. Originally from Walkers Road, Selita is now a successful model living in Los Angeles and is keen to share some of her good fortune and experience with Cayman youngsters. "I'm very excited about setting up Stardom, I think young Caymanians need this outlet."

"The programme's first objective is to educate like a tutoring programme," explained Selita. "Homework must be done and students achieve a grade point average to enter the programme." 

Selita plans to assign mentors whose job will be to "suss out" each student's talent be it singing, culinary, creative writing or sport.

"I'm trying to find Caymanians who are willing to give up their time, or, if need be, offer a paid role. Teachers or anyone who has a qualification in anything, who can show a child what is right from wrong in that particular field," said Selita.

She believes her career success is largely due to the family support and encouragement she received while growing up. "Basically I feel I have been very lucky. My mother has sent me on many programmes which have helped me develop. I think it is because of this grounding that I didn't fall into so many problems that many youths fall into such as drugs and unsafe sex."

Selita's life took a dramatic turn when, as a young teenager, she was working as a mentor with some children infected with HIV. "I was taking some kids out to get injection shots when this lady came up to me and said I should model. At the time I was very busy looking after the kids and I was like 'yeah, right whatever.'" However, Selita took the talent scout's number and three months later got a lawyer and signed a contract.

Since that day life has been somewhat of a whirlwind of photo-shoots and movie offers. To date Selita has modelled for catalogues and appeared in commercials. She has also appeared in a recent edition of Sports Illustrated.

As well as modelling Selita sings and has recently been recording music. She describes her style as, "R&B, jazz with a little bit of hip hop and soul mixed in."

Not content with modelling and singing, Selita is now keen to turn her talents to new endeavours and is currently focusing on acting as a way of expressing herself and has appeared in several films. 

However she doesn't want to do just any type of acting and, anxious not to be stereotyped too early in her career, is biding her time for the right role, "There is only room for a certain amount of black actresses in this industry, I don't want to fall into the zone of playing the 'ghetto bootalicious baby mama drama,' I want to play something with depth like a crack head or something."

Selita believes that Stardom could be the making of young people in Cayman and has urged many people to become involved both on the sponsorship and participation side. Coming from, as Selita puts it, "a little blue zinc roof shack on Walkers Road" has taught her not to take things for granted.

"I feel like I went away and did so much with my life and now I see family and friends who may go away to Miami to shop but they don't think about going to college and sadly their talents are not nurtured."

For the moment the project is in its formative stage, but Selita hopes that the people of Cayman will take it under their wings and help it grow.

"Basically I just want Cayman to know that despite my busy schedule I am willing to donate my time. I came from here and I want to show children that if they had a little bit more respect for themselves and realised that the world is bigger then Cayman, they would see that they are an asset to this world not just Cayman," said Selita.

She returns frequently to Cayman to relax and spend time with family and friends who are fully supportive of her venture to help young Caymanians.

Selita feels that if you feel strongly enough about something you can do great things. As she says: "I came from almost nothing and if I can do it they can too. If you have a dream it can happen."

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