Just graduating from high school can be daunting to 18 year old students unaware of what their life will bring them. But for 18-year-old G.P. Vanier graduate Amanda Seary, her life seems to have taken an exciting turn that could one day lead her to walking the high fashion runways of Milan and Paris. “My friend told me about the Alberta’s next top model competition,” says Seary. “I couldn’t make it to the first auditions because of commitments but when I heard about the July auditions I just took off to Edmonton.” There were tryouts in both Edmonton and Calgary on July 1 and 2. Judges were from fashion outlets in Toronto and Vancouver. Seary auditioned in Edmonton at the Fairmont hotel on July 1. She explains that she made it through the first round of auditions and she hopes that this could be the start of an exciting career for her. Out of 50 contestants at the audition, Seary was one of 30 chosen to continue to the first stage of the competition. “On July 13 I have a photo-shoot with Jordon Gooden who is a professional photographer,” she explains. “It will be a 10-hour photo shoot of which he’ll be pulling clothes from Hi’s European Fashions line.” Seary explains that Gooden is a photographer and receptionist for Advanced Cut Hair Group in downtown Edmonton. She says that his photography skills are really unique, taking pictures in creative places, including on top of city skyscrapers with different props. “He’s going to give me three different looks with my hair and make-up for the competition,” she says excitedly. “I’m really thrilled to continue in the competition.” Amanda will soon be competiting in the first stage which focuses on the model’s photogenic features. Out of 30 models from each audition, only 15 of each group will succeed in continuing to stage two. In the first stage, judges will evaluate three photographs of each contestant, which each contestant has between four and eight weeks to provide the pictures. A date will be set in the near future to determine who goes to the next stage. “I didn’t know if they’d choose me to go through the initial competition, I thought for sure they’d hate my runway walk,” she says. “I had a bunch of stuff happen on my way to Edmonton that I thought would make me miss the competition.” Seary explains that her car battery died and she didn’t have a ride at the time. She made it to Edmonton later than initially planned, but she says she just kept pushing to make it there in time. “I think the ten minute interview was the main reason they chose me,” she says happily. “I nailed every question that they asked me.” Stage two will exhibit the model’s ability to walk a runway. Posture, strut and attitude will all be evaluated from the 30 models. Contestants will compete in front of experienced judges, with only 15 girls making it to the third stage. The third stage will entail photography, hair, make up and styling. Contestants will have to do their own make up and hair, and will have to style their own outfit. Each contestant will be digitally photographed and will be narrowed down by judges. Twenty finalists will be posted on the website, wwwalbertasnexttopmodel.com for the people of Alberta to choose who will be Alberta’s next top model.The winner of the competition will receive a $10,000 contract, gym membership, and free make up among other things. Seary hopes that she will be the last woman standing on her quest to obtain her dreams.