Geneva's Own Lexie Tomchek Lands on 'Top Model'

An auto accident turned into an opportunity for fame and fortune.

Because of it, Lexie Tomchek missed her audition last year for the hit reality show America's Next Top Model. Instead, she eventually auditioned for Cycle 15 of the show—and come Sept. 8, she'll be on your television screen, competing with 13 other young women to be America's Next Top Model.

With the title comes not only the television exposure earned from appearing on the show, but also a contract with an international modeling management firm, fashion spreads in magazines, plus a $100,000 contract with CoverGirl Cosmetics. This cycle is a "high-fashion" one, with the winner set to appear in Italian Vogue, as opposed to earlier winners who appeared in Seventeen.

Her family and friends—and she herself—are understandably very excited about the experience and the upcoming show.

"My family was absolutely thrilled," said Lexie, a 2010 Geneva High School graduate who has previously done runway shows, catalog and magazine shoots and other modeling.

For those unfamiliar with the show, which debuted in 2003, the modeling rivals live together and, each week have a photo shoot and other challenges to meet. At each episode's end, one gets sent packing, with high drama all around.

Model and talk-show host Tyra Banks created and hosts the show, which includes other guest judges. This cycle's judges include designer Diane Von Furstenberg, designer/stylist Patricia Field (Sex and the City), photographer Matthew Rolston, supermodel Karolina Kurkova, fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier, Italian photographer Francesco Carrozzini, designer Zac Posen, designer/model Margherita Missoni, IMG Models executive Kyle Hagler, Vogue Italia editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani and designer Roberto Cavalli.

Confidentiality is part and parcel of any reality show and keeping her lips zipped was a challenge, Lexie acknowledges.

"I'm very gossipy and I have a big mouth," she laughed. "This is very difficult for me."

How did she explain her absence during her summer-long shooting? "I had to lie. I was telling people I went to Haiti."

If she spent the summer filming, does that mean she outlasted the other potential top models? No one's telling.

Publicists were strict about what they'd let Lexie talk about, including what her favorite experience was. But she did say it's all her on the screen.

"I didn't hold back, at any point. It was weird, knowing in the back of my mind that my family was going to be seeing some of this," she said. 

And the country as well. There will be viewing parties throughout the U.S., certainly on campuses where Lexie's far-flung friends are, including University of Missouri, where best friend Marie Pacilio attends. And of course Top Model will be "must-see" television here in her hometown. (I'll be watching on time delay—that's GHS Back-to-School night!)

While America is watching, Lexie will be moving forward. She just moved into Chicago's Gold Coast from Geneva's East Side. "I have a lease and no job; we'll see how that goes," she said, upbeat despite the challenge. "Usually it does."

She wants to model as long as possible. "But I'm not naive," she said. "I know the industry pretty well, and I know you have an expiration date." She's postponing college a semester while focuses on modeling and figures out the future.

Fame, meanwhile, has found her already.

"I was walking in downtown Geneva yesterday and I was stopped by underclass girls I didn't know," Lexie said, shortly before the new school year began. They asked me, 'Are you the girl from Next Top Model?"

"I didn't realize it would start so soon."

Indeed it has. Tune in to the CW at 7 p.m. Sept. 8, for more.

And for a sneak preview, here's an interview with Lexie on her experiences auditioning for the show.