Backstage there is chaos. Someone’s hair isn’t curling the right way. Another girl’s dress isn’t fitting as flattering as before. The stress levels are high and the competition is fierce.

Her heart is pounding almost as fast as the faint pulsing music she hears from the runway. She takes a few deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves.

She opens the curtain and takes the runway, ready to dazzle the crowd.

This is how junior Jadyn Arnold has spent countless weekends as a model for the past five years.

Jadyn first signed with Talent Plus Universal at the age of 12 to begin small acting gigs in small commercials. As she grew up and got taller, they decided to introduce her to the world of modeling.

“It wasn’t a difficult transition at all,” Jadyn said. “They’re really similar in a lot of ways and they pretty much go hand in hand. But although I loved acting, I fell in love with modeling.”

Since then, Jadyn has been working as a part-time model, even occasionally missing school for jobs. She’s modeled for Shan Keith and Micheal Shead, local designers from the Midwest, and also walked the runway at St. Louis Fashion Week.

“Most parents want their kid to have a job by the time they’re 17, but by the age of 14 she has so many shows and experiences and she already has this career built,” Jadyn’s mother Julie Arnold said.

While a big part of modeling is walking the runway, the first step is getting the shows booked.

For Jadyn, that’s where her agent, Sarah Landa, comes in. Landa was suggested as her agent when she signed with Talent Plus Universal. She books all her shows and sends her photos to clients that she thinks Jadyn will work well with.

“She gives me info on anything and everything,” Jadyn said. “She’s basically a life saver.”

While Jadyn is proud of how far she’s made it, she only wants to get better. She notices what she does wrong and is always quick to correct those mistakes, including her facial expressions. She also looks up to her role models and takes note of what they’re doing right. She strives to be most like Karlie Kloss, a current Victoria’s Secret model.

“I really look up to her because of her confidence, success and style,” Jadyn said. “She’s also such a down to earth person. When it comes to getting better though, I love the challenge of a little competition and constantly having to make myself better.”

In between the high competition on the runway and high school life, Jadyn looks to her family and friends as her support system. Jadyn’s friend, junior Diana Ostrovskiy encourages Jadyn and is a supporter of her career.

“I love that she does it,” Diana said. “It’s not your typical teenage job and it’s something she’s passionate about. Not many people can say that their best friend’s a model.”

As high school is coming to a close within the next year, Jadyn is pondering plans for the future. While she is still uncertain of the future, Jadyn knows there is a place for modeling.

“I’m really hoping I can make a future career out of this,” Jadyn said. “I love everything about it.”