Pekin graduate enters national modeling contest

? Women from across the country, including 18-year-old Allyson Machala of Richland, have entered maurices Main Street Model Search competing to be among 12 finalists chosen to model for maurices in upcoming clothing campaigns.

The top 12 models will each receive a photo shoot at a fashion shoot destination and national exposure through maurices. They also will be awarded a $1,500 maurices gift card and a $7,500 charitable makeover for a nonprofit in their hometowns.

Machala, a 2011 Pekin High School graduate and a freshman at the Univeristy of Dubuque, said if she is a finalist, she would donate to the Pekin Ministerial Association.

?The PMA helps families right in my community and in all the communities that make up the Pekin Community School District,? Machala wrote in her biographical information. ?They give assistance to families who might not be able to pay the electricity bill for the month or the water bill. They also have a program at the beginning of the school year and right before Christmas where a group goes shopping for families in need. For the beginning of the school year, we buy children school supplies and at Christmas time, all the children get a present. At both times, the children receive a new outfit, and the families get food donations. I have participated in this many times, and it is a very good way of reaching out to people. The families appreciate the help, and the children are able to receive needs that otherwise would not have been met.?

Machala also wrote: ?Almost every girl dreams of being a model when they?re young. However, it didn?t take long for me to realize that I did not have the body type to be a model, and I never would. I remember being so excited the first time I saw a plus-size model, and I thought she was absolutely beautiful. Getting my picture taken makes me feel beautiful. I loved my senior picture shoot. I think modeling would be, in one word, fun. I also think it would be beneficial to not only myself, but even more so, to young girls who think that their bodies are not good enough because they don?t look like the models on TV. I know that many people say that, but it is still so true. We need to continue to advertise people of all sizes to help stop the growing trend of eating disorders and other issues, such as depression, caused by body stereotypes.?

Now through March 19, people can visit www.mauricesmainstreetmodel.com to view the contestants and vote once per day for their favorite. Contestants are searchable by name, hometown, state, college, occupation and more. Every time a person votes, they will receive a coupon offer and be entered for a chance to win gift cards.

Following the online voting, the top 100 contestants will create videos about why they should be a maurices Main Street Model. maurices will then select 20 of the women to attend a casting call in Minneapolis, Minn., the week of April 16. A judging panel will select the 12 winners, who will be announced April 23.