Three local students will get the chance Saturday to prove their talents in front of representatives from agencies from Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York City in hopes of becoming the next big star.
Halo Model and Talent Agency of Savannah will host its inaugural National Modeling and Talent Showcase at the Jepson Center in Savannah.
Liberty County residents Rachel Ainsworth will be looking to impress judges with her vocal chords, while siblings Deante and Damica Roberson will strut down the runway and pose for cameras.
Stephanie Duke-Andrews, founder and director of Halo, used to model and act in the Big Apple, so she knows that bringing agencies from big cities could open doors for those auditioning.
“Being seen by the right people is the first step on their path to success,” Duke-Andrews said.
Nine-year-old Ainsworth, a student at Joseph Martin Elementary School, has been passionate about singing since she was 4 years old. Her first gig was at the Frank Long Elementary School talent show. She was the only kindergartener to pass the round of auditions and sang in front of the entire school.
Last year, Ainsworth performed with the Liberty County Community and Area Mass Choir for its Fourth of July concert at the farmers market.
Upon hearing about the showcase, she prepared a video of herself singing and sent it to Halo. She got a call back saying that she could perform in their showcase.
Ainsworth plans to sing “This Is Me” by Demi Lovato.
“She has shown a lot of talent, and she’s not afraid to perform. She just has that presence to do that. It’s all she’s talked about for the last couple of years,” her mother, Lisa Ainsworth, said. “I was a little leery about it, but she loves to sing. She’s done some things with the churches around here. It’s something that she’s really good at. It comes naturally to her.”
Twelve-year-old Damica Roberson, a student at Snelson-Golden Middle School, has been modeling with Halo for about two years. Her 14-year-old brother, Deante, a student at Bradwell Institute, started modeling with the agency only a few months ago after seeing Damica take part in multiple shoots and shows.
Damica recently went with her mother, Manuela, to New York City in order to be scouted. They predict Saturday’s event will be similar to what they experienced in New York.
Damica has grown to love modeling and can see herself doing this in the future. Deante, on the other hand, is unsure of his feelings toward modeling, but he’s excited about the exposure that new and different places in the industry could provide him with.
Their parents have noticed a positive change in both of their children since they started working with Halo, which is why they support it.
“I’m from Savannah, and in Savannah, you’re kind of limited to your exposure to anything. I left to join the Army for 20 years, and I experienced the world. I went practically everywhere, and I want my kids to have the opportunity to do that,” their father, Tim Roberson, said. “This is an opportunity to have an exposure to new people and different places and to have a good time as a kid. Of course, they should do it safely and in a controlled fashion.”