Junior Haylee Carpenter is an aspiring model. She has been modeling for a few years now but it all started with a radio ad.

Carpenter’s mom heard on the radio that Models and Images was having an international model search and told her. She paid the $25 fee and entered at the Women’s Fair. The competition consisted of walking the catwalk. Carpenter, along with many other girls, competed and strut the runway.

The winning prize was a $2,200 scholarship to their modeling school along with a contract to start doing jobs with them.

“Once they were starting to announce who won I got this feeling in the pit of my stomach and I won,” Carpenter said.

She immediately started a 20 week training course with Models and Images.

After training was over Carpenter got her first gig. It was an unpaid job at the mall for their Back to School runway show.

“You know when you’re a little kid in school and you’re going to do a show-and-tell for the first time, you [become] nervous in front of the class. That’s how I felt,” Carpenter said.

Since then she has done several other local jobs.

“Modeling is a lifestyle,” Carpenter said.

She explained that to keep the “perfect” body she has to work hard. She works out and eats healthy and organic every day.

“[People] think you’re going to go on a diet for a few weeks and lose some weight. No, with modeling a diet is your lifestyle,” Carpenter said.

For lunch she eats an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Carpenter doesn’t know what she plans to do throughout her modeling career but recently her future in front of the camera has grown brighter. She has been offered a contract with MC², an international modeling agency.

“I did a casting with them a couple weeks ago and I got an email about a week later saying they wanted to prepare me for work in Miami and offer me a contract,” Carpenter said.

She has yet to decide whether or not to accept this contract until she speaks with them about how this will affect her life.

Despite having an unusual career, Carpenter is just another high schooler. She explains on the stereotypes that are pinned onto her.

“Some people, like my little brother, are like ‘You’re a model. You’re so stupid’ and stereotype me and I’m sure other people do that too and don’t tell me,” Carpenter said.

She also elaborated on the fact that she has been told people find her intimidating. Carpenter assured that despite her unique lifestyle she is a normal girl, not intimidating.