Budding model gets a magazine cover in time for prom
By Maria Vogel-Short
Observer-Tribune / January 27, 2005
Mendham – A Mendham High School senior will have more than a prom date this year; she’s landed on a cover on Prom Guide Magazine, a magazine that reaches a million students at high schools across the country.
The student, Jessica Bader, 18, of Essex Drive, said she beat out 100 other young women in the New Jersey region to be on the cover of the magazine. Aside from the cover, Bader received a $250 scholarship and a photo shoot in New York City.
Bader, a willowy green-eyed blond who stands 5 feet, nine inches tall, said she was surprised and pleased with the reaction from students at the school. Contestants won by receiving the most Internet votes on the Prom Guide website, so winner relied heavily on getting people on the website to win.
“Our school isn’t all that big, so I wasn’t sure I’d win. I was up against people who probably came from bigger schools, so if everybody voted, it would make a difference. But if someone from a bigger school got votes, I wouldn’t have a chance,” said Bader. “But my parents said go ahead, give it a try, so what if you don’t win?”
Bader got permission from the school office to have an announcement over the intercom reminding students during the last week of the contest to cast a vote, she said. Voting on the website was a time-consuming process as well, she said.
Brotherly help
Bader said her brother, Daniel, 14, a freshman, was a big help.
“A lot of his friends voted for me; I know at least 300 kids voted altogether,” she said.
The fun part, she said, was the photo shoot.
“They had a makeup person and a stylist; all I did was show up. They sent a town car to come and pick my mother and me up, and they drove us to New York City. Contestants from other states stayed in a hotel,” she said.
Wearing an orange strapless dress, Bader is featured in both a group picture with 11 other teenagers from across the country, and on the cover of the regional issue of the magazine.
Bader said she has been accepted to Berkeley College, in White Plains, N.Y., in the fall, and hopes to continue modeling while earning a paralegal degree. The honor roll student wants to be a commercial print model.
“Commercial print models can model until they’re 60. High fashion models typically stop modeling by the time they’re 24 years old,” she said.
“This contest definitely helps me build my portfolio,” said Bader.
“I like that I’m starting out now. I’m more mature. I have to miss school to go to “go sees” (auditions). But it hasn’t hurt my grades,” she said.
If you're a member of the 2008 graduating class and would like to be a Prom Guide cover model, click here to register now.
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