Jasmine’s stilettos click on the floor all business as she steps to the front Let’s get the important stuff out of the way As I’m sure you know you’ll be in New York for one month There will be a total of seven challenges and two contestants will be eliminated after each challenge The show will be taped except for the final elimination which will air live All the challenges will be timed and unless stated otherwise you will be allowed to use only the materials we supply Jasmine turns to Hunter Anything else you want to add Be creative Hunter says smiling at the group Use your strengths but don’t be afraid to try something new Think outside the box At this last suggestion I feel a poke in my
back I can’t be sure but it’s probably Nina saying I told you so That’s exactly what she said the judges were looking for when she gave me that weird necklace before the final round of auditions in Salinas Looks like she was just being nice after all And remember Missy adds have fun Your first challenge will be held tomorrow morning at nine o’clock in the Central Park Zoo Jasmine tells us Your packets have maps as well as walking and subway directions Don’t be late The next morning I’m up bright and early partially because I couldn’t sleep but also because it was clear Jasmine wasn’t kidding
when she said not to be late Seems like everyone else felt the same All the other designers along with their parents gather outside the entrance to the Central Park Zoo at nine o’clock on the dot The judges producers and camera crew are already there waiting for us Fifteen for fifteen says Jasmine looking pleased We’re off to a good start For your first challenge you’ll have one hour to explore the zoo Hunter says Decide what you’d like to see most We’ll meet back at the garden when you’re done and explain more then Choose wisely Everyone splits up to start exploring My mom and I pass the zoo’s Tropic Zone Exotic rainforest birds chatter excitedly and I make a mental note about the brightly
colored feathers As we move to the back of the zoo monkeys screech at us from above as they swing from vine to vine I wonder how the zoo is supposed to play into our designs Will we have to make clothes for animals That would be a little out there even for this show My mom and I come to a stop in front of the lion cage Inside the big cats are snoozing lazily They don’t seem to be fully awake yet Mom says I point to the description posted beside the cage It says they’re mostly nocturnal It must be too early for them too Maybe we can come back We move on to the Polar Circle and soon I’m watching polar bears penguins and other sea birds at play The penguins waddle
