The Dallas, Texas photo sessions went from morning to night for Grace Morey, chosen as a Rebel Athletic model. Courtesy of Grace Morey
Deer Isle—When Deer Isle-Stonington High School junior Grace Morey clicked “Send” on an online application to be a Rebel Athletic model, she figured, “I’ll never get [picked], but then I thought, I might as well.”
That tap of the keyboard sent Morey to Dallas, Texas in September, for a catalogue photo shoot as one of the Rebel modeling team. But first, she had to get “the call.”
“It was smack in the middle of cheering season,” when she applied, Morey recalled. “They said phone calls would come in July. I was in Tennessee on a family vacation, and had my phone glued to me in case they called. I knew they were starting calls that day.”
Morey put her phone down for five minutes. “When I looked up, I’d missed a call from Texas.”
Morey flew to Dallas with her mother, signed a one-year contract and was quickly called to return in September for her first shoot.
“I flew down alone, which I’d never done before,” she said. As a minor, Morey stayed with Rebel staffers for the duration of the photo shoot, which was intense.
“I was going from morning to night,” Morey said. “In the mornings, hair and make up, and breakfast. Then, try on uniforms and the photos.”
For a 16-year-old new to professional modeling, Morey had to pick up the moves quickly.
“It was crazy how everything moved so fast,” she said. “They took me into a corner and showed me how to pose. Five minutes later, they were shooting. And after 10 minutes, I was right into it.”
Morey was one of seven girls used for the photo shoot, which was of All-Star cheering uniforms rather than the practice garb Morey expected she would model. She also wonders if she’ll be tapped for a second session. While all the models were told they would each do one photo shoot, “they said they can’t wait to see me again for my next shoot,” Morey said. And, even if that was just a standard farewell, Morey and all the models will return in June for the season’s closing.
Until then, Morey will continue her honors-level academics, help lead the Mariners cheerleading team, and plans to repeat as a Miss Maine Teen contestant in November. Last year, she won the People’s Choice award. (Based on online votes, voting is open at missmaine.com.) And now, Morey is also an experienced model.
“I thought I was going to be nervous,” she said of her first assignment. ‘When I got on the plane at Bangor, I was a little intimidated. But when I got there, I just felt I was ready to take it on. This is what I’ve always wanted to do.”