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28 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • March 2020 Calvert first started modeling in 2018 at the encouragement of her mother, who saw potential in her daughter based on her appearance and personality. "She is 5 feet 11 inches and has nice features, so I had the idea of modeling in the back of my head for awhile before she actually started," Becelia says. "Katherine also has a very low-key, no-drama personality so I was pretty sure she could handle any pressures that might come with modeling." Calvert went to an open call with a modeling agency in Richmond and was inspired by the feedback. "They were encouraging and said modeling was something that they thought I could do," she says. "I also thought modeling would be a pretty cool thing to do, so I decided to give it a try." Calvert first began by modeling for photographers, makeup artists and stylists, working collaboratively to help build portfolios. She's done shoots in Fredericksburg, Richmond, D.C. and in Maryland and West Virginia and has appeared in two magazines, Dreamy and Gracious. Many teen girls would relish the opportunity to dress up in fancy outfits and accessories and parade around in front of an audience. For 17-year-old high school senior Katherine Calvert, that dream came true for the first time in September 2019 when she walked the runway as a model during DC Fashion Week in Washington, D.C. Calvert, a student at Stafford High School, walked the runway for three shows during DC Fashion Week last fall, modeling clothes and hats for three different international fashion designers. "It was one big, crazy week, but a lot of fun," Calvert says. "It was a great experience." Calvert's mother, Mary Becelia, was in awe watching her daughter on the runway. "Seeing her walking in front of hundreds of people—in four-inch heels, no less—with so much confidence, up there with other models who had far more experience yet betraying no nerves was a very proud moment for me," Becelia says. Calvert enjoyed the experience so much she went on to walk the runway during a fashion show in Richmond in October 2019 and returned for DC Fashion Week to model the Spring 2020 collection at the end of February. WRITTEN BY BRANDY CENTOLANZA Local Teen and Her Mother Talk Modeling, Stereotypes and Maintaining Balance Katherine Calvert, Model