The 10 Finalists for 2004

Name: Teruko BurrellBorn: 9/20/1958Children: NoneStatus: SingleOccupation: Museum administrator, part-time matter and framer Hometown: Santa Monica, CaliforniaWhat gave you the guts to enter the MORE/Wilhelmina Model Contest?“I guess I’ll try anything once. I’ve known about the contest for a few years, and I’ve always missed the deadline. This year, it was fortuitous because I’ve been thinking of getting into commercial print modeling, and I had just gotten some photos taken, so I had them ready to go.”

Name: Janine CriseraBorn: 7/27/1961Children: John (18), Michael (8), stepsons John (21) and Thomas (12), stepdaughter Ashley (18)Status: Married 9 yearsOccupation: HairstylistHometown: Middletown, New JerseyWhat gave you the guts to enter the MORE/Wilhelmina Model Contest?“A friend of mine saw the ad in MORE and told me she thought I should enter. I had actually entered another Wilhelmina contest and was one of the 10 finalists, but I was the oldest woman there; all the other contestants were girls in their 20s. The woman in charge of that contest suggested I enter the MORE competition.”

Name: Jamie DeyhleBorn: 4/28/1954Children: Blake (24), Leia (23)Status: Married 30 yearsOccupation: Homemaker, volunteer, former schoolteacherHometown: Canyon, TexasWhat gave you the guts to enter the MORE/Wilhelmina Model Contest?“My children entered me. Leia had seen the magazine, and they told me they wanted me to do it. So, my son took the pictures, which was so sweet. It just meant the world to me. They’re beside themselves that I’m a finalist, and for me, it’s just really fun because it was from them.”

Name: Jami HannaBorn: 3/15/1961Children: Stepdaughter Heidi (29), stepson Tony (27)Status: Married 11 1/2 yearsOccupation: Image consultantHometown: Orlando, Florida, and McCall, IdahoWhat gave you the guts to enter the MORE/Wilhelmina Model Contest?“You see a lot of different contests, especially for modeling. What attracted me to this one is that MORE is a really classy magazine. A friend of mine who’s known me for a long time encouraged me to apply to this contest, to follow my dream of modeling. When I was 20 years old, who would have thought that I’d be able to do this now?”

Name: Getty IsraelBorn: 12/16/1961Children: Nasser (6)Status: SingleOccupation: Full-time graduate studentHometown: Natchez, MississippiWhat gave you the guts to enter the MORE/Wilhelmina Model Contest?“Guts — that’s my middle name. I’m drawn to a challenge. I knew that I had the physical characteristics to at least place me in a competitive position. Spiritually, I knew it was the right thing to do.”

Name: Bianca LatessaBorn: 12/8/1963Children: Sophie (4), Dario (6), Dante (7)Status: Married 8 yearsOccupation: Full-time mom, former broadcast anchorHometown: Brookline, MassachusettsWhat gave you the guts to enter the MORE/Wilhelmina Model Contest?“I rarely buy fashion magazines, but I saw MORE at the grocery store register and thought, finally a magazine that caters to women my age. I brought it home and was flipping through it. My son asked me why I liked the magazine so much. I told him, ‘Because the women are my age,’ and he said, ‘Mom, you could be in the magazine.’ So when I saw the ad for the contest, I thought, I’m going to do it. When I told my son I was a finalist, he said, ‘Mom, I knew you could do it!’ I think he thinks I’m superwoman.”

Name: Bebe (Patricia) McGarryBorn: 11/11/1945Children: John (37), Danielle (35), Michael (30)Status: Single (divorced)Occupation: WriterHometown: Sherman Oaks, CaliforniaWhat gave you the guts to enter the MORE/Wilhelmina Model Contest?“I actually modeled a bit when I was in high school. I had this great plan at 16 to go to New York and be a model, but the modeling agencies said I was too young. When I finished high school, I told my dad I was going to model, and he said, ‘No way.’ So I didn’t go. When I saw the MORE magazine contest, my daughter really encouraged me to enter.”

Name: Jane MorseBorn: 4/27/1961Children: Sara (6), stepdaughter Monica (14)Status: Married 9 yearsOccupation: ActressHometown: Seville, OhioWhat gave you the guts to enter the MORE/Wilhelmina Model Contest?“I got the magazine when it first started coming out and I’ve entered every year. You see the ad in the middle of February when there’s nothing else to do in the Midwest. I was a semi-finalist in the past, and this year, when they called I said, ‘You better pick me or I’ll sulk.’ So it’s either guts or stupidity or not taking ‘no’ for an answer.”

Name: Ana MystorBorn: 4/17/1956Children: Lana (22), Vedran (19)Status: Married 28 yearsOccupation: Office manager, economist by professionHometown: Cliffside, New JerseyWhat gave you the guts to enter the MORE/Wilhelmina Model Contest?“It’s been through the encouragement from my family, friends, and acquaintances. I always sensed that modeling was something I’d enjoy. So, when I saw an ad for this contest, I decided to enter. The deadline was coming up the next Saturday, which is a free day for me, but I didn’t even have a picture, so they took one at the office.”

Name: Lynn WaiteBorn: 9/13/1950Children: Ellysa (27), Sam (25), Cooper (19)Status: Single (divorced)Occupation: ArtistHometown: Brookfield, WisconsinWhat gave you the guts to enter the MORE/Wilhelmina Model Contest?“Perseverance, and encouragement from my daughter. We’re both magazine addicts, and we were flipping through MORE and saw the ad for the contest. I believe women over 40 are strong and active and should be rewarded for it. I had entered every other year, and Ellysa encouraged me to apply again. I have a never-give-up attitude, so I decided to do it.”