By Sara Ballenger

For 9-year-old Holly Bacon, a fourth-grade student at Saint Simon’s Catholic School in Los Altos, modeling for GapKids.com, auditioning for movies or competing for scholarships in the Pre-Teen California program are all in a day’s work.

“She started working for a talent agency in kindergarten,” said her mom Mary. “There is a fine balance between school, sports, the arts and modeling. But grades come first.”

Bacon received her first report card with what she calls “real grades” last Friday.

One of Bacon’s favorite classes at St. Simon’s is her friendship class. She has learned tips that have helped her in the modeling world.

“In modeling, some people are stuck-up and sometimes I try to be their friend,” Bacon said. “If they don’t want to be friends, then I am friends with other kids. My teacher said if you can’t trust each other or you are not kind to each other, you are not true friends.”

Friendships help keep Bacon grounded.

“If I am acting like I am all that, I ask my friends to tell me,” she said. “My friends support and encourage me and tell me, ‘Come on Holly, you can do it.’”

Bacon’s family and friends encouraged her to compete in the Pre-Teen California Scholarship program for the first time this year.

“It was based on good grades and being a well-rounded person, more than beauty, Mary said.

Girls compete for educational bonds and scholarships.

“I think it’s good because it helps me get more money for college,” Bacon said. “I don’t think it’s good to skip college. I want to go to Stanford to be a doctor and study kidney medicine or a vet.”

Bacon finished as second-runner-up in the all-around competition and received an educational bond in the Pre-Teen California Scholarship Program. She will compete in the national competition in Alabama in July.

The money Bacon makes from her modeling career also goes into an educational fund or is donated, Mary said.

“She has donated a lot of her modeling money to special causes,” Mary said. “She donates to everything that comes up at St. Simon.”

Bacon’s teachers at St. Simon are proud of her accomplishments.

“Holly is very friendly, poised and articulate,” said Ann Straw, Bacon’s first-grade teacher. “She is always been willing to help other people. I think for Holly this has been a nice avenue for her many talents and it opens up many great opportunities for her in the future.”