Completing introductions to our fabulous Class of 2017 Spokesmodels, this is Anna!! Coming from Apex High School, Anna Parrish is sweet, sassy, and oh so powerful!
Through the introduction of Denise and Nola Grace Brown, Anna’s mom, Karen was made aware of us and was the very first to submit an application. She filled out a lovely & touching nomination for her daughter that honestly moved Jen to tears! Describing Anna as compassionate, determined & funny, this application definitely had a mother’s touch but was also quite accurate. From the moment we saw her for the interview, we saw Anna’s “flair”, just as Karen pointed out; and her truly authentic beauty, also described in the application by her mother. Her sweet and caring attitude was made evident through many, many things… ranging from working with STAR, a theatre program for disabled adults run by Terri Dollar, to her job as a princess for Grandma’s Princess Parties in Apex, to efforts in raising awareness of mental illness through founding and organizing her very own 5k!
Her mom also described her story of perseverance and her desire to help others. Anna very openly, honestly & courageously struggles with mental illness….depression, anxiety and an eating disorder. Despite all that she is going through herself, she selflessly continues with her desire to help others going through similar experiences. One of her greatest accomplishments being, her organization of her “Five4PFC” 5k run/walk. The event was held on October 31st 2015, as a USATF certified course with prizes, food, live music, and guest speakers, was covered by the News & Observer, had 174 participants, over 65 volunteers and most importantly… accomplished raising $6000 in proceeds!! These were donated to NAMI and The Trevor Project. This piece of her and her ability to push forward, simply makes her that much stronger! We found Anna all the more intriguing, inspiring & simply perfect for all the aspects that make up who she is. It is through this story, her incredibly selfless goal and the example that she sets for other young women that we naturally gave her the super hero name, Persevera.
When asked about her experience with our program so far, here’s what Anna had to say…
- Favorite part of our group session… “Meeting the other girls and their mothers, the Mink family, and the hair and makeup artists. My inspiration comes from others, and they all exploded with very impressionable and positive spirits.“
- Favorite part of working with Jen & team… “Their encouragement, humble natures, and having the blessing of being a part of portraying their raw talent. This was such a perfect experience for me and all teenage girls in general; it was a growing experience.“
- Why her peers should come to Jen for their portraits… “Again, this was a major learning and growing experience for me and the other girls. Emotionally, intellectually, and socially. It was, and still is, empowering, humbling, and confidence boosting.“
- What she is looking forward to in her 1:1 session… “Expressing myself in an art where not many people choose to express themselves in; senior portraits.“
Fun & Fab Scoop on Anna’s FAV things:
- Color… Black and baby pink
- Time of Day… Night
- Music… Pop-punk, alternative, metal
- Songs… “Be Alright” by Justin Bieber
- Music Artist(s)… Justin Bieber, Brand New
- Books… Junie B. Jones Series
- TV Shows… Criminal Minds, Law and Order, Community
- Movies… Clueless, The Little Mermaid
- Plays… Seussical the Musical, Grease
- Artist(s)… My friends from Longleaf School of the Arts
- Sports… Dance
- Designer… Doc Marten
- Store… AMAZON (also known as “Annazon”… LOVE IT!!)
- Food… Mac n Cheese
- Restaurant… The Melting Pot
- Hang Out Spot… The creek behind my house
- Thing to Do with Friends… Sing and play ukulele
- Location... Disney World
- Vacation… Disney World
Anna hopes to return to her favorite location/vacation spot, Disney World, where she plans to, “run around like a two year old without a care in the world.” We LOVE this childlike innocence in Anna – she is truly a kid at heart in the best way possible 😉 After high school, Anna wishes to study cosmetology in addition to bartending, but one of her largest goals is to become a mommy! And she would make a fabulous one.
It has been quite the moving experience getting to know the powerhouse that is Anna, and to witness the great strength & support that is her family. As her mom put it to us, she believes “she is a face (and voice) that offers hope to others who are struggling… She is a great example to any young woman (but especially someone who struggles with mental illness) of how to persevere through bad times and not be ashamed or embarrassed. She is the kind of young person who is actively working to make positive changes, based on personal experience, for the future” and we couldn’t agree more! Recovery is ongoing and painful for Anna, but she knows… so entirely worth it.
We have several projects in the work with Anna & her message, but for now, please enjoy her ‘Glam Hero’ group session images…
If you see Anna at school or around town… don’t miss the opportunity to take a moment to chat with her! You will most definitely leave the experience with a smile! Feel free to reach out to her or myself if interested in getting your own Fab Grad (Senior) Portrait Session booked! She even has 10% discount off your commission fee to share… BONUS!! 😀
Special Thanks & Credits…
Hair & Make-up: Denise Hutter / Images by Denise
Locations: The Glass Box & Downtown Raleigh
Outfit: Dress – Amazon, Jacket – Ivy & Leo, Shoes – Amazon, Necklace & Bracelet – Amazon
Additional Thanks: Nola Grace Brown & Gabi Perkins
