Mar 19, 2016 3 min read

Girls often dream of being a model one day, but for Keely Acor, a seventh-grade student at Chartiers-Houston, being on the runway is a reality.

Keely was given the opportunity to walk the runway in Los Angeles, Calif., and New York fashion weeks.

“It’s fun because it’s my time to shine,” she said. “When I’m walking down, all eyes are on me.”

Keely’s first time on the runway was at the St. Baldrick’s Foundation fundraiser in Pittsburgh last March. Soon after, she was selected by Elizabeth Copeland, owner and designer of Bentley & Lace (B&L), to walk in the Millesime Style Show in Dallas, Texas last July. Then, even though Keely, 12, had only modeled on the runway twice, Copeland chose her to represent B&L in the LA Style Fashion Week last October.

One of her favorite modeling experiences came during the LA preshow photo shoot, when she got to meet and hang out with “Girl Meets World” actor, Ava Kolker, who was one of the celebrity kids walking for B&L.

Each opportunity was bigger and better than before, so the next step was New York Fashion Week. Keely was a bit nervous backstage, but was glad there was a television to watch the other models.

“I knew that I could do it, too. So I went out there and strutted my stuff,” she said of watching the models walk before her.

She was one of 30 girls that Bentley and Lace brought to New York Fashion Week for the opening show on Valentine’s day in Gotham Hall. Keely met girls from different states, such as Louisiana, Texas and California, and others from around the world.

Julie Acor, Keely’s mother, said that the girls were surprisingly supportive of each other and there was no “cattiness” to be found.

Keely is grateful for these opportunities and is taking a small hiatus due to being diagnosed in October with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, which involves joint inflammation.

When asked if it was difficult on the runway, she said, “Not really, because I was just so excited and overwhelmed to walk, it didn’t faze me.”

Keely doesn’t allow JIA to define her. She keeps busy with other activities she enjoys, such as dancing, cheerleading, soccer and volleyball. In the future, she wants to continue modeling, especially for magazines – a dream that may soon come true. During a recent photo shoot, a woman pulled Keely and her mother aside and told them about an upcoming photo shoot in New York for a magazine spread.

By Julianna Ronto

Junior, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter