High School Student Featured in College Student Pinup calendar

Watkins senior featured in OSU calendar

A Watkins Memorial High School senior and varsity cheerleader is Ms. February in the 1991 "Women of the Scarlet & Gray Calendar," which is targeted to Ohio State University students.

Kelly Murphy, 17, was discovered at Alum Creek Beach on Father's Day by Columbus photographer Paul Ross, who along with Sean Ashbrook, an OSU student, produced the calendar as principals in the College Image Corp.

Despite its title, next year's calendar features four models who are not Ohio Sate University students.

"My mother and I were relaxing on the beach at Alum Creek State Park when Paul Ross approached us and asked if I would be interested in posing for the calendar. That was Sunday.

"On Tuesday, I went to Columbus so he (Ross) could take preliminary photos, and on Friday I was on my way to St. Petersburg, Fla., to meet the other models for the calendar shooting. I was selected from about 500 applicants," Murphy says.

The photo of Murphy chosen for the month of February shows her tropically-clad, standing in storm waves breaking on pilings under a pier in the gulf. "The water was rough during the shoot, but it was a fun week," Murphy says.

Murphy says the calendar hasn't created much of a stir around her. "Very few students have said anything about it to me.."

Though the calendars are sold mostly near OSU campuses, Kelly has a few more to sell to help recoup her travel expenses to Florida, and a few are available at Post House Interiors in Pataskala, she says. The calendars are also available at Waldenbooks stores in area malls.

Would she pose for next year's calendar? "Yes. My first career choice is modeling, so the calendar is a good professional credit. As a result of the calendar, I've already been selected for next year's ÔScarlet & Gray Illustrated' swimsuit edition," she says.

A Cleveland photographer has taken more pictures to help build her portfolio, and to submit to YM Magazine and the Gitano Model Search.

I've already had a couple brushes with rip-off modeling agencies, so I'm trying to be careful about working only with professionals. I want to go to New York City after graduation next year, because I really like it there - it has everything. Besides that, blonde, blue-eyed models are out of favor in California right now," Murphy says.

If modeling works out, she says she will probably enroll in drama classes and try to build a career in acting. "This is what I'm going to try to do. If it doesn't work out, I"ll make other plans. I may even become a funeral director," she says. "Seriously."

Kelly is the daughter of John and Zola Murphy, of International Drive. She has a sister, Carey, 12. Kelly was born in Pataskala. The family moved to Richmond, VA for five years, then returned here in 1985.

Murphy enjoys Watkins Memorial High School because "it is small and personal." She has been a competitive swimmer for 12 years, and the only competitive varsity swimmer at Watkins for the past two seasons.

She played softball and has been class treasurer all four years.

"The highlight this year, though, was being Fifth-Grade Counselor for Etna Elementary School students at Recreation Unlimited near Sunbury in September. There were eight counselors and three teachers, and we really had a good time," she says.

Murphy has been interested in modeling for about three years, and was a finalist among 106 contestants for "The Great American Modeling Competition" in Pennsylvania in 1988.