Miss Clara Chemtov

Day 3 of World Top Model is done, and the models took over Manhattan! We had a scavenger hunt all over Times Square, we did two amazing NYFW shows (pictures soon, but I have to wait until I’m allowed!), and then WE SAW LOUIS TOMLINSON!!! He happened to be coming out of his hotel as we walked by and we saw him!!!

I can’t wait for World Top Model finals tomorrow!!!

We found our first scavenger hunt clues!
- A miracle happened here: 34th street!
- You can find it in a haystack: Smpire State Building needle!

Day 2 of Worlds Top Model is done!! Today, we did a glam shoot in Times Square (photos soon!), we had a mock go-see with an agent (I got the callback!), and then we had our brand challenge, where I talked and fielded questions about my platform of eating disorders awareness. Throughout the day, we also had fittings for different designers. Tomorrow, I’ll be walking for 3 designers in 2 shows! Coolest part of today: WE WERE ON A TIMES SQUARE BILLBOARD! Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see it in person, but I got pictures!



Beauty it's Everywhere

Day 1 of Worlds Top Model during New York Fashion Week is done! Tonight, we had orientation, fittings, and headshots. I am in love with the outfits I’ll be modelling! It was amazing to meet everyone and learn about where they come from! Plus, before registration, I had some feee time to wander around, see Central Park, and explore the subway. Day 2 here we come!

Beauty it's Everywhere

Why I Decided to Gain Weight to Get Ready for a Pageant Despite societal pressure to be skinny, I’m preparing for a pageant by gaining weight. I’m embracing the Health at Every Size movement, and you should too.

Miss Teenage Quebec a role model as COVID-19 postpones her dream showcase The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the lives of every single human being on earth. Each of us must deal with our own disappointments. Our health and that of loved

Tune in on Friday for a special edition of QuaranTEA TIME live on Instagram! I’ll be interviewing The Body Love Society about diet culture and fatphobia during this pandemic. You won’t want to miss their unique and inspiring take on un-dieting! -Clara

My Pageant Story: An Ode to Quora Forums | 2020 Miss Teenage Quebec Blog Network Hi everyone, and welcome back to my blog! Just an FYI: I tend not to use Quora for my big life decisions, but sometimes, the right forum can bring you places you never even imagined.

Wearing red today to honour the lives of the Nova Scotian victims. Sending love to all who are affected❤️ Stay strong and stay united, because we need each other now more than ever. -Clara

This week, settle down for a QuaranTEA TIME Q&A. Fun and silliness are guaranteed, so don’t miss it! Comment questions you’d like me to answer on my Instagram live (anything goes)! -Clara

Happy Earth Day!🌎 Let’s take this day to think about our world, the only planet we have. While it’s important to celebrate the Earth and raise awareness for the climate crisis today, I want to remind everyone that it should not be limited to one day per year. Maybe we can use this time in quarantine to find one change we can make when all of this is over. I challenge you all to come up with one endeavour, no matter how big or small. If you’re looking for inspiration, .co on Instagram has amazing and realistic tips to help us live more sustainably. I’m planning on being more vigilant about plastic used in the food industry, and actively choosing plastic-free options whenever possible. Every small step we take in our day-to-day lives can make a difference if we all contribute! -Clara

📸: Émilee Stewart
Studio: Flores Creative Space

Ça va bien aller 🌈 It’s going to be okay

When I walk around my neighbourhood, I am delighted to see rainbows in so many of the windows. I encourage you all to put one in yours to spread the message of hope and positivity in this difficult time. A little bit goes a long way, and you never know when one little rainbow might brighten someone’s day. Hang in there, everyone. -Clara

For all you tie-lovers out there, this one’s for you! Anyone who knew me in high school knows that I own 100+ ties, and I LOVE to wear them. Tune in to get an exclusive look at my collection and learn some fancy new knots! -Clara

Hello from Clara! | 2020 Miss Teenage Quebec Blog Network Hi everyone! My name is Clara Chemtov. I’m 17 years old, I’m from Montreal, and I’m Miss Teenage Quebec 2020. This is my first time having a title and I’m really excited! Before we get into all of that, though, here’s a bit about me.

Happy Passover! It’s very heartening to see everyone celebrating so creatively despite physical distancing. I’d like to give my perspective on how I’ve decided to honour Passover this year.

One of our religious customs is to eat only matzah in the place of leavened foods. As many of you know, I am currently in recovery from an eating disorder and am using my provincial title to raise awareness for this illness. By being open about my journey, I’m hoping to inspire other people who might be struggling as well. This is why I’m sharing why I am not keeping Passover this year.

As someone with both a strong connection to my culture and a restrictive eating disorder, I have to get creative in my approach. To me, being Jewish has always been about keeping history and tradition alive in our modern world. For most people, eating matzah on Passover would fulfill this responsibility. I don’t think I would be as successful, though, because my focus would be in the wrong place. It’s very difficult to accept, but at my stage in recovery, I feel that committing to a week of dietary restriction, even to celebrate an important holiday, would do more harm than good.

I’m choosing to commemorate my people’s history through other practices. I was grateful, for example, to participate in Seders with my family and the Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom community via Zoom. I am also taking this week to explore the idea of freedom and what it could mean in my life. By not restricting leavened products, I’m allowing myself the mental space to truly appreciate this holiday and honour my ancestors, since food will not be taking up all of my energy. Will I still eat matzah? Absolutely, but this way, I will be able to respect matzah as the symbol that it is, rather than another opportunity for my eating disorder to manifest itself.

To anyone else who might be living something similar, know that there are many ways to celebrate. I firmly believe that our value as a person and as a Jew is not determined by which customs we follow, but rather by the intentions behind our actions. Sometimes, the decision not to follow a tradition can be just as meaningful as the tradition itself, or in my case, even more so.

I understand that circumstances don’t always allow this particular choice, but I think it’s important nonetheless to think about our motivation when honouring any custom. If you do find that you’re required to follow something that you have trouble relating to, I encourage you to find a way to give it meaning, even if it’s unconventional. I think we’d be surprised by how this can make our holiday experience that much more fulfilling.

Wishing everyone a peaceful holiday. -Clara

📸: Tommy Levan

Wishing there was more you could do for the environment right now? Looking for ways to keep making a difference? Join me live on Instagram this Friday to chat with .co , an amazing account that’s raising awareness and helping people to become more conscientious!

Going live with Amber ! Tune in to catch us talking pageants, exchanging experience, and more!

Today is Green Shirt Day💚
Logan Boulet was one of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash victims who was able to save six lives because he was an organ donor. He inspired over 100,000 Canadians to become donors as well, so today, I encourage everyone to wear green in support of organ donation awareness and to honour the .

Do you feel stuck in a sea of negativity while quarantined? Don’t miss my new Instagram Live series ! Grab some tea and tune in for fun, uplifting content every week! Join me and special guest Ilyssa Tobenstein to discover simple crafting ideas you can try at home!

Hey everyone! Thanks for following me on my journey so far. We’ve been given this new page where all of the Quebec delegates will be sharing their experience, so please give it a thumbs up! I’ll still be posting here, but if you want to stay up to date with our latest news, be sure to follow us there!

Don’t miss out on this opportunity, especially during this challenging time. ANEB Québec is an amazing organization helping people every day💖

MISS TEENAGE CANADA

🌼Happy spring🌼
This may not be the seasonal change we expected or wanted, but since spring is the season of renewal and growth, maybe we can take advantage of this difficult time to apply those ideas to our lives. That could mean finding new ways to reach out and connect, practicing some self-care to renew ourselves, or maybe taking up a new hobby. Whatever we choose to do, we will only come out stronger. This is challenging for everyone, so if you need to talk to someone, don’t hesitate to send that text or make that call. We’re all in this together💖
📸: Émilee Stewart

MISS TEENAGE CANADA

Platform reveal!⤵️
📸: Tommy Levan

The best part of being Miss Teenage Quebec is being able to develop a platform, so I’ve chosen to raise awareness for eating disorders. After struggling with one for over two-and-a-half years, I was finally able to get help and start the journey to recovery. This is still very recent, but I’d like to raise awareness for this kind of mental illness because it’s very common in our society and doesn’t get enough media coverage. This illness relies on darkness and secrecy, so by being open about the challenges involved, I’m hoping to help others who are dealing with similar disorders, and at the same time, fuel my own recovery. This should be interesting. It’s difficult to commit to a challenge like this, but it’s only by smashing down these walls that we can end the stigma around eating disorders. I was never able to tell anyone because I felt so alone, I was embarrassed by the fact that I wasn’t “perfect”, and I didn’t think I deserved to ask for help.

So now, I’d like to start by saying to everyone what I needed to hear at the very beginning: No matter what you’re going through, no matter which part of the journey, you are enough. You are deserving. You are loved. You are not alone.

If anyone ever needs to talk, my DMs are always open. Don’t feel like you have to fight your demons alone💖

MISS TEENAGE CANADA

Another one from my shoot with Boutique 1861 ! Platform reveal coming soon!

MISS TEENAGE CANADA

BTS from a very creative shoot with Émilee Stewart at Flores Creative Space! Stay tuned for some really cool pictures!

MISS TEENAGE CANADA

Happy International Women’s Day! Let’s celebrate all the amazing women past, present, and future who inspire us to achieve our goals. To all of you out there: You are strong, you are brave, you are beautiful, and most importantly, you are enough. Share some love today and every day!

MISS TEENAGE CANADA

Thank you Boutique 1861 for such a fun shoot! Their dresses are absolutely stunning😍

MISS TEENAGE CANADA