America's Next Top Model tryouts held in Union Station

By chelsea eifert

The girls stand in line, anxious for their turn to sign up for the tryouts. Some have been there since 8:30, others since 6 a.m. But regardless of the time of day or how long they have been standing in their high heels, they keep waiting for their chance to be America’s Next Top Model.

Over 400 girls flooded the top floor on Union Station on Sat. March 8. All came in different shapes, colors, and sizes, ready for their chance to shine.

“I love fashion. I love runway. I love the attention,” 26-year-old Adrena Taylor said while waiting to audition for the third year in a row.

If the girls wanted to audition, though, they needed to be at least 5’7”, 18 years old, and have three pictures of themselves. As easy as it sounds, not every girl made it to the next step of tryouts.

“The hard part is if they don’t come prepared we have to turn them away,” Creative Service Director Suzi Schrappen said. “It’s heartbreaking to turn them away.”

If the girls made it past the waiting line, they then sat for about one to two hours before being called to next step of the day.

Outside of the line girls were sitting everywhere. On chairs, at tables, on the floor. It was a long day and the wait only made their nerves worse.

Ciara Ruffin, 22, waited in line to be taken into the practice room with her mother, Mona Brooks by her side. As her group of numbers, 90-99, were called through the doors, Brooks just smiled and waved goodbye to her daughter.

“[Ciara] loves what Tyra Banks has presented here,” Brooks said about the opportunity to become a model. “Now she is able to see it for real. She wants it. She’s dying for it. She’s hungry.”

Everyone there is hungry for this chance. But only 150 girls received the opportunity. Some were turned away because of ineligibility, but an extra 20 girls waited in line after the first 150 were given numbers.

If there was time, they might make it past the line. But as it was, the groups were already behind and it wasn’t looking good.

In the practice room, girls were told what to say and do in front of the judges and were given a chance to practice their runway walk.

After that, the long wait to see the judges began.

The girls, now migrating down to the lower floor of the building, sat and waited for those two minutes with the judges. This gave them a chance to size up their competition.

“I’m nervous because I don’t know what the judges are looking for,” Am Midden, a 21-year-old fashion industry veteran said. “I think there is a totally diverse group of girls here. You can’t really compare yourself to them because you think the judges might like you but really they want that girl.”

But the judges weren’t looking for a specific girl. In fact, much of their decision was based on personality.

While in the judging room girls spoke to a camera, showed off their runway walk, and answered questions from the judges. The were asked a number of things from the craziest thing they had ever done to whether or not they would cut their hair for the show.

“She’s cute,” one judge said after a spunky blonde girl left the room.

Even the prettiest faces and the freshest personalities could not hide the insecurities some faced. Some worried about weight, some height. But for others, their concerns went deeper.

“Honestly, what I’m worried about the most is the scars on my face,” Marca Newby, 27, said pointing to the scars leading from the bottom of her right lip down to her chin. “I was in a car crash when I was little and I’m worried they won’t take me because of it.”

But no matter how nervous the girls were, or how unprepared, they had to work it if they wanted to win.

Slowly, the mass of estrogen left Union Station. One girl had to be chosen. That girl was Sarah Bryant.

But the other girls were told not to give up just yet. The tape from Saturday would be sent to L.A. for other judges to review and there will be another opportunity to try out in July.

There is still a chance to be America’s Next Top Model.