BY EMILEE GRUNTZ
Staff Writer

Most teenage girls dream of having their picture taken in apparel from their favorite stores, but the average teenager only gets camera attention from their family.
Former Baldwin student Emma Wojtowicz, on the other hand, is now a professional model for the Pittsburgh-based clothing retailer Rue21. She has done so much modeling work, in fact, that she left Baldwin and is completing her senior year in a cyber school.
Wojtowicz first loved being in front of the camera when she was a child.
“My mom was always snapping pictures of us while we were just messing around and being kids. So even though it wasn’t specifically modeling, I did get used to being in front of the camera… it was just part of my life,” Wojtowicz said.
As she grew older, she began researching the industry, which then led to her career in modeling.
Wojtowicz first attempted to get in touch with photographers who were looking for some sort of small project to do. One of those people told Rue21 that she was looking for work.
Rue21 then emailed Wojtowicz, asking her to meet with them and talk about some modeling opportunities.
Since her modeling career is growing, Wojtowicz made the choice to spend her senior year in cyber school.
“I am on a weekly schedule with Rue21 and it became too difficult to continue to attend Baldwin and be available for work,” she said.
“For me, there was an opportunity to begin to explore a career path that interests me, and getting into a cyber school program gave me a chance to take advantage of that opportunity.”
She will be graduating early to make sure she can focus on her modeling career as well as school.
“Now that I have adjusted to the schedule, it is just like anyone who goes to high school and has a job,” Wojtowicz said.
Though she is no longer a student at Baldwin, Wojtowicz remains friends with her former classmates and plan to attend prom in the spring.
“It is weird to see other models on a website and then see a picture of Emma with them,” senior Lexi O’Malley, Wojtowicz’s friend, said. “You never really pay much attention to the models, but seeing one of your friends is really cool.”
Wojtowicz’s sister is also in the modeling industry, she said.
“My sister has always had an inspiring effect on my creative side in general,” Wojtowicz said. Her sister now freelance models for ModCloth.
“Her sister has done a lot of photoshoots, so I always figured Emma would do something related to modeling too,” O’Malley said.
Wojtowicz plans to continue modeling but says that she doesn’t want to make it her central occupation. She said that she has interest in becoming a makeup artist and traveling to a larger city with more opportunities.
“I really enjoy what I do, and I’d love to stick around and see where it takes me, but of course I have other plans too,” Wojtowicz said.
Staff writers Bree Staley and Emma Dowker contributed to this article.