By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

FOR the future, Briealessa Wilson dreams of wearing the crown of a beauty and attending one of the world’s most prestigious art and design schools.

But in the here and now one big dream has already come true for the teenager – spreading love by distributing homemade pancakes and impacting the lives of underprivileged and special needs children.

The Pancake Wednesdays foundation was launched by Briealessa, with the help of her mother, Lynnishka Wilson, on February 25, 2012, and was inspired by Josh Rahming, a 12-year-old autistic student at the Palmdale Primary School who has a ferocious love for pancakes.

“The inspiration for Pancake Wednesdays were the words of Josh Rahming who once said, ‘Make pancakes with love’,” Briealessa told Tribune Woman.

“The foundation stemmed from Josh’s words and we also used my father, Brian Wilson, as the basis. He was an underprivileged child when he was growing up. From there we decided to mentor underprivileged and disabled children.”

Homemade pancakes, including the blueberry and banana variety, are distributed to the students at the Palmdale Primary School every Wednesday. The school is the foundation’s home.

During the initial launch of Pancake Wednesdays, Briealessa said the funding was limited and there were many discouraging days.

However, regardless of the limited means they kept moving forward with their plan. And today, they can celebrate the considerable growth of the foundation in just a few short years.

“We decided to walk by faith and not by sight. When we took our first leap of faith we landed on the grounds of Palmdale Primary School and to date that has been our home,” Briealessa said. “Reflecting back on the first day my mother and I walked into class with hot blueberry and banana pancakes, to singing our first birthday song, and hearing our first thank you; not only did we mentor these children, we gave them love.”

One of the main goals of Pancake Wednesdays, Briealessa said, is to give underprivileged and disabled children an opportunity to be confident in who they are and what they were placed on this Earth for.

“Pancake Wednesdays aims to achieve equality by diminishing stereotyping towards these children,” she said.

Briealessa said she hopes that through the organisation children are treated equally and are not stereotyped for their appearance.

“I want people to see beyond the imperfections of these children and realise they are beautiful on the inside and out,” she said.

“When Pancake Wednesdays first started, we did not expect to achieve this much so fast. Having our Birthday Club, Curve Ball Wednesdays and Pancake Wednesdays we have definitely made a difference with just lending our hands and hearts.

“The children and educators of the special education class have changed our lives and so have we changed theirs, and every day we are achieving our goal of having a smiling face every visit.”

In addition the Pancake Wednesdays foundation, Briealessa is currently in her final year at the Home School Leadership Academy. After graduating, her goal is to enrol at the Parsons The New School for Design in new York with a major in fashion marketing.

“From time to time I enjoy playing tennis because it keeps me fit and healthy.

“When I’m having my down time off the court, I spend my time surfing the web for historical facts, inspiring stories and world news. By that time I’ve gotten hungry, so I enjoy preparing for myself a delicious meal. When my meal has digested and I’m slim and trim again, I gather my sewing equipment and put together a beautiful skirt,” she said.

Briealessa is also currently competing in the 2014 Miss Teen Bahamas International pageant and to part in the contest’s motorcade this week.

“Of course like every little girl when they were growing up, they always wanted to be a princess with a shiny crown and a sash. I am one of those little girls, but I always thought my height was an issue and because of that I shied away.

“When I found out about Miss Teen Bahamas International I instantly gained my confidence and automatically wanted to enter into the competition. I decided to join, to be a 5’5 tall young lady with my head held 8’0 high for the world to hear my platform and to be a role model that young girls want to look up to,” she said.