Modeling School Dropout
I was 16 years old, living in Brockton and had dropped out of school. It was spring or summer when my sister, Kelly had won a partial scholarship to a modeling school at some bar contest. The school was John Rober Powers on Newbury St. In Boston. That street is money! She went, it was like a 6 week course where you learn how to walk a runway, do your own makeup and basics of photo shoots and other modeling basics. Some classes were taught by supermodels. She wouldn’t shut up about it. When she graduated I went in with Mom to support her. That’s when I got cornered. The staff of the school started pressuring me to come to the school but I couldn’t afford it. After that night Kelly kept badgering me yo at least go in for a free headshot and just see what I got for feedback. I finally said I’d go for the headshot but not trying to pay for modeling school. I did the headshot and figured that was the end of it.
Soon afterward the school called, they loved the pic and asked me to enroll in classes. I told them I did not have the money. They offered a partial scholarship, again I declined. They offered free classes but I had to buy the makeup, once again I politely declined. That’s when they told me just to be there the next Saturday to start classes. Hell, it was free so I went!
I enjoyed my trips on the train, I would stop at Boston gardens (close to the school) before class, it became a routine I loved! I ended up getting a job down the steeet at an ice cream shop.
In school we were learning how supermodels do the damn thing! I remember one day we were working on the runway with a supermodel and I had the hiccups so bad I looked like an idiot trying to walk. I got back off the runway and our teacher that day walked up to me and asked if I had the money I owed for that class. I was so confused! I told her I had a full scholarship. She said not that day, she was a supermodel, not working for free, I was starting to freak out. I had no money. That’s when she smiled at me and asked if I had the hiccups anymore… I didn’t! She actually scared the crap out of me! Oh boy!
The school was really excited about me getting signed with Ford next (that was their plan) then the hope was for me to end up in Paris.
But I wasn’t feeling it. Back then models didn’t have tattoos or crazy colored hair, I didn’t want yo be controlled by anyone. So I walked away. Honestly I don’t regret it, it is a shallow business and people say some rotten things, certainly not the place to be with a bad self esteem. So there it is, not a mistake, another adventure as well as another lesson learned ❤️
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