When 13-year-old Claire Schorsch stepped into the Southeast Barbizon Competition in Atlanta, she had no idea just how much her life was about to change. After receiving an impressive nine callbacks, Claire’s calendar quickly filled with Zoom calls from interested agencies, and her passion for modeling and acting began to blossom even more. Claire, who has Down syndrome, is breaking barriers with her confidence and talent — and proving that the entertainment industry has room for everyone.
We sat down with Claire and her mom, Amber, to talk about their experience — from Claire’s proudest moments on stage to the learning curve of navigating the talent industry as a family. Their story is full of excitement, gratitude, and inspiration for anyone thinking about pursuing a dream.
How old are you, and where are you from?
Claire: I am 14 years old and live in San Antonio, TX.
What are a few things you love doing when you’re not modeling or performing?
Claire: I love cheerleading, tumbling, hanging out with my friends, and watching tv.
What made you want to be part of Barbizon?
Claire: I knew I wanted to model and act. I kept seeing Chelsea Warner and Sofia Sanchez come across my feed when I would scroll through reels. They have Down Syndrome like me. I thought if they can do it, I can do it too. My mom told me about Barbizon and I was so excited. I wanted to do it right away.
Amber: When Claire told me she wanted to model and act, I was lost. So, I started researching opportunities in San Antonio. When I came across Barbizon, I was impressed. I loved that Barbizon not only focuses on modeling and acting, but also character building and helping students gain self-confidence.
You attended our Southeast Barbizon Competition! What was your favorite moment from that event?
Claire: Getting my hair and makeup done and watching all the cute boys!
Amber: My husband and I have so many favorite moments from the weekend in Atlanta!
We were both so nervous for her to walk the runway. She has been in front of many crowds before with competitive cheerleading and gymnastics, but nothing like this. We wanted her to do well so she would be happy with her performance. We could feel our anticipation growing as it got closer to her number, and we were so nervous for her! When her number was called, she walked the runway with such confidence and grace we were blown away. My heart was bursting with pride. It was as if she had walked the runway a million times before. It was the all-time best moment to see our daughter shine in front of all the agents and the audience.
The Saturday of the competition, you could feel the participants nervous energy in the air. It was in the hallways and in the waiting rooms. It was everywhere. As parents, we all had to drop our child off in their waiting room and wish them the best. As I dropped Claire off, I stood back and watched her. She couldn’t see me. She would find someone sitting by herself and go and sit by them and introduce herself. You could see a little small talk and then they would start playing on their phones and chatting. It was so good to see her make friends and how receptive the other participants were. When we were walking through the competition, so many of the other participants would say hi to Claire and call her by name. I had one mom stop and introduce herself to me and tell me her child had been talking about Claire all day. All the Barbizon staff knew Claire and would wish her luck. That meant a lot. So many times, people are unsure of how to act around someone with special needs just because they haven’t been around someone with special needs. My hope is that all kids that had a good day with Claire will see other special needs individuals a little different and know they are more alike than different. I felt like this was inclusion at its finest!
Claire receiving the Honorable Mention award was also pretty cool too!!
How did it feel to get nine callbacks at the event? That’s incredible!
Claire: Amazing and so exciting! I didn’t know what to expect since it was my first competition, I was just hoping for 1 callback!
Amber: Being one of the few, if not the only participant at this particular competition with special needs, we had no idea what the agents were looking for and we were really hoping for just a single call back. I was blown away to see she received 9 callbacks. And when we told Claire, she was beaming with excitement, jumping up and down. It also made us so extremely proud to watch Claire navigate independently in the large ball room with all the agents. She made it around to every table and spoke with all the agents and passed out her comp card. When she was done, she was exhausted! But, you could still see and feel the pride she had in herself!
You’ve already had Zoom calls with a few agencies — what has that been like?
Claire: It has been fun. All of the agents have been so nice and encouraging. I’ve learned a lot about what I need to do to be successful.
Has anything surprised you about the talent industry so far?
Claire: Yes! I didn’t expect the self-tapes to be so hard! I thought they would be easy.
How do you stay confident going into these meetings and calls?
Claire: At the beginning of the meetings, my mom and dad are there to help me get started. Once the agent starts talking and asking me questions, I get more comfortable and am able to be myself.
What advice would you give to other teens who are just starting out with Barbizon?
Claire: Go out there and show the world what you can do and if you get a callback, I’m happy for you. If you don’t get callbacks, it’s okay, keep trying.
What makes you feel happiest when you’re on stage or in front of the camera?
Claire: I love to perform, and I am grateful every time I get to be on stage and thankful for the opportunities I have been given.
What’s next for you? Any updates you want to share?
Claire: I have had 2 auditions recently, which is really cool. I have also started a new acting class that I love! My goal is get booked!
Amber: Our hope is the Claire will be a strong advocate for people with Down syndrome and inspire others as she travels on her journey with modeling and acting. Barbizon has given Claire a strong foundation in modeling and acting and has opened so many doors for her. Brooke, placement director, has gone above and beyond helping Claire after the Southeast Barbizon Competition. Her guidance and advice have been invaluable helping navigate between agents and also giving amazing feedback and recommendations to improving her self-tapes for her auditions. A huge thank you for all Barbizon has done for Claire-from the start to now!
Claire’s journey is only just beginning, and it’s clear she’s headed toward big things — with her confidence, talent, and the unwavering support of her family leading the way. At Barbizon, we’re proud to play a small part in her story and can’t wait to see where she goes next.
Thank you to Claire and Amber for sharing your experience so openly — and for reminding us all that with the right tools, support, and heart, anything is possible.
