Sarah Hartshorne:
Top Model and Role Model

It's not every day that you get the chance to
talk to a Top Model. It's especially rare that
the Top Model is not only beautiful, but a
role model for girls everywhere! Meet Sarah
Hartshorne, contestant from this season's
America's Next Top Model.

As a kid, Sarah moved around a lot within the Western Massachusetts area.
"It's beautiful around there - very scenic and Norman Rockwell-like." Her
parents still live in the area, but the rest of her family is spread throughout
the country. "My family is very eclectic and made up largely of artists. I
used to be embarrassed about how different my family seemed from
everyone else's but now I love it. I always have a story to tell about them."
She is very close to her family - her mother, a poet, and her father, a travel
website editor, as well as her stepfather and grandparents all helped raise
her. "The whole family encouraged me to pursue my goals, and they've
always been very supportive, which I'm so grateful for," she says.
The world first got to know Sarah on the
most recent season of America's Next Top
Model. Cast as a "plus-size" model, Sarah
soon became a fan favorite for her sense of
humor and positive self-image.

What made her audition for this
reality-show hit? "A friend of mine actually
talked me into auditioning, and I sort of
dragged my feet the whole way along," she
said. "It
said. "It didn't really sink in until I moved into the house in LA that I was,
in fact, one of the cast of America's Next Top Model. I'd been so hesitant to
believe that I would ever be chosen that the whole thing was a surprise."

Being on the set was both exciting and challenging. She found the photo
shoots and the people that helped make them happen particularly thrilling.
"We worked with some amazing photographers, set designers, hair and
makeup people and the environment on set was so welcoming and friendly.
I loved being there and being encouraged to model. I'd only ever been in
snapshots before, really, so it was odd at first but I came to really love it."
However, the photo shoots were also very challenging. "I love modeling and
was shocked to see that I had a talent there, but it's still very difficult to
control your body and make sure your angles are right. It's frustrating to
take 100 pictures and get 10 good ones, no matter how good they are."

As with every reality TV show, there can only be one winner, and
unfortunately, Sarah was let go after a music video shoot with Enrique
Inglesias. But it was at the time of her departure that AMG found her the
most inspiring. As she said her final farewell, she said that she hoped that
by being on the show, doors would open so that one day, a girl who looks
like her would be the winner.

But has the industry changed enough? Will models who look more like
average women ever be the norm? "I think the industry is moving back to
idealizing that type of frame after many years of worshipping the waif. That
said, there is something beautiful in a thin frame - I'm not one of those girls
that thinks conventional models aren't beautiful or don't deserve to be
seen. They are - the other girls on the show were naturally thin and they
were all gorgeous, of course. I just think their body type should be among
the idealized forms, not the only one."

To change the industry, though, Sarah points to the media as an important
place to start. "I know a lot of magazines are working to preserve girls' self
worth and promote healthy body images and I think that's great," Sarah
said. "That's where the work should be done- in the real world with real
girls. They are who determine the trends, even more than designers. If we
can reassure girls that they are worth loving and worth seeing no matter
what - if we can break the mold and judge models on their talent in front of
their camera and not their weight then we can make real strides."
(Woo-hoo! We think so too! Can you see why AMG loves her?)

In a culture consumed by weight, Sarah does her best to keep a healthy
attitude and positive body image. What are her secrets for staying healthy?
Eating in moderation, and making sure to eat lean protein and vegetables
every day. "I try and work in a new healthy habit every day. Today I started
taking vitamins. Tomorrow I am going to make sure and eat enough fruit."

What does the future hold for Sarah? Since the show ended, she has done
more modeling, and is currently deciding on an agent. This multi-talented
woman is also looking to pursue professional acting as well, and is working
on her degree in theater at Drew University in New Jersey.

She also has some advice for AMG readers looking to pursue a career in
entertainment or fashion. "Take everything seriously but yourself," she
says. "People are going to be brutally honest, and your ego might take a
blow, but if you're able to be strong and understand that there are more
important things in the world than other people's opinions you'll be fine. A
sense of humor was crucial for me on the set. Everyone seemed to taking
themselves so seriously that I often had to take a step back and get a dose of
reality and laugh at myself. If you look for advice everywhere you can but
use your gut before you follow it, you'll be fine."