Found this article about her from the Langley Advance:
Teen dream: Modelling career began by fluke
This Langley youth attends a model search on a whim and became an international sensation, with aspirations now of modelling for Gucci and Prada.
by Heather McGillivray
At first glance, Kaitlyn Vanderkooi looks like any other 16-year-old Grade 12 student.
With messy hair pulled back underneath a black headband, her arms are bruised from afterschool volleyball practice and her attention seems hard to hold.
After a few minutes, though, one begins to see why from thousands of other girls, she was spotted at a model search two years ago and has since been labelled "the one to watch."
Kaitlyn came into modelling by fluke.
"Some people think about modelling but I never really thought about the idea," she said, between sips of hot chocolate at the local Esquires Coffee House.
Two years ago she and friend were in Chilliwack at a restaurant when her friend decided to go to the Model and Talent Search Canada being held in town.
Kaitlyn tagged along and ended up garnering a lot of attention from the representatives.
However, because she wasn't with a parent, she was urged to visit the upcoming Vancouver convention with her mother to talk to more modelling scouts.
She describes the experience as a nerve-wracking one: "You do runway and all that. And we had to do one in a bathing suit too," the teen exclaimed.
But it paid off when she learned she had more than 20 callbacks from interested agencies.
Once she filtered through the different agencies to find one she was comfortable with, she decided to work with Storm Models - an agency based out of the United Kingdom.
The decision was a good one, as she has now booked more jobs than she can count since the agency began sending her out in February 2005.
Her first shoot was for Ocean Drive Leather, and the experience was definitely a change of pace for the avid athlete.
"We never went to Vancouver before because we always stayed in the Langley area. And it was it downtown Hastings area... and it was kind of sketchy. But then we went up and there was this huge loft. It was all redone and really nice," said Kaitlyn.
Since that first shoot she has appeared in Off The Wall advertisments, Vancouver Magazine, Glamour (three times) and was recently chosen to be the new face of both Foxy Jeans and the Oakridge Shopping Centre marketing materials.
"It's kind of fun now, because you get to know everyone, all the photographers, and everyone knows you," she said, adding all the travel is a nice perk as well.
"I went to London for spring break, and then I went to New York that summer. And I've been to Montreal about five times now."
She said even though she is there to work, she loves being in a new city she can explore.
But missing school and being away from her family, friends and boyfriend are a big drawback for Kaitlyn.
"It's not his favorite thing," she said, adding that even though it's hard on her relationship when she goes on longer jobs, her boyfriend is a big supporter of her decision to model professionally and he comes to all her runway shows.
Support is key for Kaitlyn and she definitely has that from her parents. In fact, she said when her mom first saw her Foxy Jeans billboard on her way home from work, she started freaking out.
"I didn't even know it was going to be out. My mom was driving and she looks over and and says 'that's Kaitlyn!" and slammed on the brakes," Kaitlyn recalled with a laugh.
Her family does worry about the lifestyle that can come with modelling and Kaitlyn is quick to admit the industry does have a reputation. And she sometimes worries her Christian background may clash with the themes of some photo shoots.
"So far, it's been really good. They ask you, because I'm young and I [say] I don't feel comfortable in that," Kaitlyn said, but added later on she's not sure what she will do if asked to pose in a provocative shoot.
She acknowledges that refusal to do a certain type of shoot can sometimes mean the end of a model's career.
The entire experience has had a huge learning curve for Kaitlyn. Learning to walk in heels which are too small, posing for 12-hour photo shoots and having everyone stare at her during runway shows has been tough for her.
But she loves every minute of it.
"It's been really good so far. It's so much fun hanging out with these people. When I do Off The Wall or something, there's Gregory and he's a great photographer and so much fun," she said.
As for her future career, Kaitlyn will finish out her final year at Langley Christian high school before she starts to model full-time.
She's not sure if she wants to take the summer off or dive right in. With her dream jobs being shoots for Gucci and Prada, she is eager to begin travelling worldwide.
And finally, getting paid for being made up, blown up, and plastered on billboards internationally? It's definitely a bonus, she said finishing up the last sips of her now chilled hot chocolate.
published on 09/22/2006
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She's so so so pretty 
she is new on modelresource.ca at #46
