NATCHEZ &045; Rhondula Green plans to go to college, major in pre-med and become either an anesthesiologist or a psychiatrist, but she’d be willing to put those plans on hold if another opportunity presents itself.

Recently the 17-year-old Natchez High junior has been tinkering in the modeling industry. She’s been to two modeling searches in New York and Baton Rouge and will participate in the Miss Mississippi Teen American pageant in January.

The Jan. 15 pageant in Hattiesburg will choose one winner to compete in the Miss Teen America pageant.

Green will compete in evening gown, talent, swimsuit and interview portions against other 14- to 18-year-olds.

Though she said she enjoys modeling, it was the college scholarship money that sparked her interest in the pageant. The winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship to Nova Southeastern University in Florida.

The pageant was announced at the high school and Green sent in an application and was accepted.

Her talent will be praise dancing. She said her favorite pageant competition was the evening gown, but she was most worried about the talent competition and the interview.

She said she first got interested in modeling when her godmother, who lives in New York, encouraged her to try it.

&uot;I was interested because I wanted to try something new,&uot; she said. &uot;I would like to model.&uot;

For now, Green works at J.C. Penney after school and makes As and Bs in school.

She is a member of the National Honor Society, the Beta Club and choir among other things.

The winner of the pageant will make 10 appearances around the state throughout the year to promote a topic of their choice. Green said she would like to speak on teen pregnancy.

&uot;That’s the most common thing around here,&uot; she said.

Green said she was ready for the pageant, but was just a little nervous. &uot;I think I’m more excited than nervous though,&uot; she said.