The Buzz

Air Date: Thursday, March 8, 2007

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Model in the making

This is 13-year-old Rachel, and this is 13-year-old Rachel.

The Northbridge eighth-grader is getting a lot of buzz in the modeling world and seems ready to make quite a name for herself on runways, from New York to Paris.

Masaaki Okamura, John Robert Powers
"I was surprised at how fast it occurred."

Signed to a top agency in New York City, Rachel is under an exclusive contract with Model Management Group.

Masaaki Okamura, John Robert Powers
"She was offered an exclusive contract by them, meaning that they definitely feel she has a quality that they don't want anyone else to work with her."

For now, Rachel is not allowed to cut her hair or change her appearance in any way.

Rachel, model
"Having the contract with MMG basically means that I'm theirs for three years."

But even then, she'll only be 16-years-old -- still two years too young to even be considered for "America's Next Top Model."

Rachel, model
"I think being 13 is a good starting age, because that means by the time I'm 16, if they want to send me anywhere, I'll be ready. I'll have lots of jobs already, and I'll have a lot more experience."

For now, Rachel splits her time between the classroom and the catwalk. She dreams of following the fashion scene to Europe.

Becky Fleming, Rachel's mom
"If she had her way, she'd be in Paris on the runway. Me, I'm just still trying to deal with all this stuff happening."

Rachel's parents support what she's doing, but they have laid down some ground rules.

Becky Fleming, Rachel's mom
"We're excited, but we're strict to her. If she has problem with eating or school grades slack, then its done."

Rachel says she may be young, but she's not naive to the ups and downs of modeling.

Rachel, model
"One thing is always love yourself, even if somebody doesn't, because we're always going to go to different places, and they're not always going to like you, and you can't help that. You're just not what they're looking for."

(Copyright (c) 2007 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)