Is she tops? Heath woman among contestants on TV modeling contest

[ Originally published on: Friday, August 31, 2007 ]

HEATH -- For many girls, it is a dream to be a model one day, to wear expensive and beautiful clothes and strut down the catwalk and be on the covers of magazines.

For one local 20-year-old, this dream might come true. Sarah Hartshorne of Heath is one of 13 contestants on the next season of ''America's Next Top Model.''

The season premiere will be on Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. on The CW cable network.

Hartshorne said in a video interview on The CW's Web site that a friend dragged her to the audition so she would not have to go alone. At the point when friends and family were advised to leave, Hartshorne's friend dragged her along into the audition.

Hartshorne thought it was just a waste of time -- that she could never be on the show. But, she was proven wrong.

She says she has no experience in the modeling industry, but hopes to use her inexperience to her advantage in the television competition.

She laughed and joked that she worked in a salon for two days. ''I learned that people actually spend time on their makeup and hair.''

''I am looking forward to everything in this competition,'' she said excitedly. She said the first time she met the show's host, supermodel Tyra Banks was ''mind blowing.''

Hartshorne graduated from the Academy of Charlemont in 2005, where she performed in many of the drama department's productions. She is the daughter of Lea Banks of Shelburne Falls and Stephen Hartshorne of Sunderland.

''She was one of those people who always stood out in the crowd,'' said Ellen Zale, an old teacher and adviser of Hartshorne's.

Zale said she was a ''wonderful actress'' and ''very funny,'' and that Hartshorne was famous at the Academy for her announcements at morning meetings.

Hartshorne was unavailable to comment by press time and reportedly had left Franklin County for the beginning of the fall semester at college.

The winner of The CW's ''America's Next Top Model'' will be managed by Elite Model Management. She also receives a $100,000 contract with CoverGirl. Finally, the winner will appear on the cover and in a six-page fashion spread in Seventeen magazine.

Each week, the contestants face new challenges and photo shoots. When the day is done, they can't go their separate ways but go home each night -- all of them living under one roof in a posh Los Angeles mansion. As the competition goes on, contestants are eliminated until there are only two left who compete in a runway show in front of the judges.

The participants' abilities are tested each week as they strive to master the runway and fashion photo shoots, perfect publicity skills and learn the business aspects of becoming a model, according to The CW's Web site.

Throughout the series, supermodel Banks, art director of photo shoots Jay Manuel, and runway guru J. Alexander mentor the participants.

The panel of judges is made up of leading fashion experts, according to the site, including Banks, supermodel Twiggy, photographer Nigel Barker and runway expert Alexander.

 

---