Laura Kirkpatrick as a baby on the farm.

Laura Kirkpatrick, 20, of Stanford will appear on the 13th season of the CW’s America’s Next Top Model that follows 14 aspiring models in a competition for a $100,000 Cover Girl contract and a modeling contract with Elite Model Management.

Kirkpatrick was chosen from tens of thousands of others by model and show host Tyra Banks and other celebrity judges to move into a house and compete for the grand prize. She first was chosen from auditions in Chicago, before going to Los Angeles where the show was filmed.

A graduate of Lincoln County High School who grew up on a farm in Stanford, Kirkpatrick is the daughter of Jodie Hill Jones and Greg Kirkpatrick.

To read a story about Laura’s background and interests, go to www.amnews.com/stories/2009/08/18/lin.603406.sto

Was it hard being that far away from home? Was there anything in particular that you missed? Are you glad to be home?

It was hard, I missed my family. I’m very close to them, but I was also so busy that I didn’t have too much time to think about it. But as soon as I stepped off the plane, I ran across the airport and my body was shaking. My mom, dad, sister and little brother were all waiting for me, and my grandmom had a good ol’ country meal waiting for me, and shortly after my dad put me back to work on the farm.

Was it intimidating standing in front of the judges, most of whom are celebrities?

It was crazy to see the judges. It was like I was still looking through the TV. I’m amazed I could even get anything out of my mouth in front of them.

What was it like to have cameras following you and knowing everything you do could be on national television?

In L.A., I forgot they where there. Now I look back and say, “Dang, I should of brushed my hair that morning” or “Maybe I should have put some makeup on since everyone is going to see this!!!”

Did anything from your upbringing prepare you particularly well for this experience?

I believe I’ve had a semi-hard life. My dad worked very hard to single-handedly raise my sister and I. My mom was in the Navy at the worst possible age for me and my sister. She was in the middle of a war, and I couldn’t just pick up the phone and say, “Hey, Mom, I love you and I need your help.” I’m dyslexic so I hated school, and I struggled the whole time. I remember sitting in my seat sunk down in my chair in class thinking “please don’t pick me to read out loud in class.” I believe if I didn’t go through all of that to make me strong in life then I wouldn’t have been able to handle the stress in L.A. It’s hard for anyone to become a model, but when you’re trying to be a model and your kinda short and you’re doing it on national TV, that’s a lot of stress. I’ve always been hard on myself to do better.

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