Maggie won the "Thick and Sexy Top Plus Size Model" competition on The Tyra Banks Show, then she came to Torrid and won our hearts. Listen in as our favorite teacher "schools" us in the appropriate timing of tears, just saying no and always knowing your own worth.

Congratulations! How did you hear about the competition?
I was working a shoot and the makeup artist said, "You know, you should try out for America's Next Top Model." I was like, "Oh, I don't know if I would do that." She mentioned that Tyra had done a plus size show and said that I should look at her Web site. I sent in my pictures and the next day they called me. I was shocked! I was like, "Is this a joke?" But nobody knew I had applied, so I knew nobody could play a prank on me.

Had you modeled prior to the show?
I started in August, and I was cast at the end of September. In August, I posted a couple pictures on a model forum and a local photographer who does a lot of plus modeling wrote me and said, "I'd love to shoot you." She was my first shoot. She was pretty much all I'd shot before Tyra Banks.

Was modeling something you'd wanted to do all your life?
Yes! Back in 8th grade, because I was so tall, I got into modeling and did a benefit runway show. An agency from Japan came over and picked up a couple of my classmates and me. After the runway show, because I was in 8th grade and I wasn't really focused, I was like, "Oh, this is too much." So I kind of dropped it, and then one of my girlfriends entered my name in a drawing for an agency in Hawaii. I got picked to go through their year schooling, but my mom was like, "No." I was like, "What?!" She was like, "No, I don't think this is right for you." I didn't cry about it, but after I went to college I'd see the models on billboards and I'd say, "Look what you did! I could be up there now!"

Was it hard to get the time off work for the show?
No, you know what, my job is so supportive. I'm a teacher - 8th grade science. They are so, so nice about it.

What was it like meeting Tyra and being on TV?
Well, we didn't really get to meet Tyra, per say. We only got to meet her on the actual show when we were taping. She is not by any means snobby or mean, but she is very focused. You can just see that in her eyes as she's working. It was amazing. She's beautiful in person. At the time, I had no idea what was going on -- I was on cloud 9. It was really kind of unreal.

Were you nervous?
You know, the very first shoot we did was the hair shoot. It was so much "hurry up and wait." They would rush you and then your adrenaline would be pumping and then all of a sudden you would wait for like 4 hours. The wait time really kind of lets you calm down. As soon as they tell you what the challenge is you're really nervous, but then since you had to wait, you got to the point where you were bored and you were like, "Okay, let's just do this." That kind of defeated the nervousness. The photographer was wonderful, like super humble and just really awesome. I wasn't nervous with him at all.

Tell us about the moment you realized you won.
I don't really remember it. I can remember bits and pieces right before I won. [During] the commercial break we were standing on the stairs -- it was Tyra, Sunni (the second runner-up) and me. I remember all of a sudden being like, "Oh my gosh, I'm here." And I looked, and I saw Joshua Morrow and Mia Tyler and I started crying. Tyra turned to me, and she's like, "Oh, girl! Now's not the time for tears! Don't worry, in a couple of minutes, a couple of minutes." But, when she announced the winner I was expecting it to be like on America's Next Top Model -- how they have the video screen and their picture pops up. Well, we had a big screen in the back of the audience so I'm looking at the screen thinking, "They're going to show my picture." But, they didn't have the picture on the video screen -- she had the pictures in her hand. So, I'm looking at the screen and she's standing next to me and I'm totally not looking at her. She says my name and flips the picture... and then I saw it, and I started crying.

You kind of knew before she said it -- that you were going to win -- right?
The thing was, with Sunni and I, we're in two very different categories. She's a larger build, but she's got gorgeous, flawless skin. She's got luscious lips. She's very bouncy and has a happy look. I'm more serious, I think. I wasn't really sure what they wanted because nobody said, "This is what they're looking for." I didn't want to be disappointed, so I tried to tell myself, "You know, you might not win." Also, for wardrobe, they asked me when they brought me in to interview, "Is there anything you would not do?" I said, "I'm not going to do any nudes or lingerie. I just can't because I’m a teacher. That's what pays my bills, I can't do that." They wrote that down, and then when we went in for our hair and makeup they had all our pictures printed and then who we were, what we said in our interview. I was the only girl who said I would not do something. While we were doing hair and makeup for the shoots I would look over there and be like, "Oh my goodness!"

Did you wish you hadn't said it?
At the moment I was like, "Maybe I shouldn't have said that." But at the same time, I knew I had to. I really had no choice. When we were doing wardrobe, we were getting dressed, like literally throw on clothes, run out, take a Polaroid, run back in, swap clothes, run out. They had a stack of Polaroids and took them back to Tyra, and she literally just went through them and said, "This is what you're wearing." They had a huge box of lingerie and they put everybody in it except for me. I was like, "I'm getting voted off. I know it. And, it's because I said I wouldn't do lingerie." But, what happened was that wardrobe was for the very last challenge we did -- the book cover -- and Tyra customized it for each person. They didn't put me in the lingerie because she had already customized it for me to do "Beauty and the Freak." I wore a prom dress [for that challenge].

How did you celebrate after you'd won?
My husband and I did a little at-home celebration, and then the day it aired we went out to dinner. That night we went to a wrap party, and we were talking and having fun. I looked over and the photographer from the Tyra shoot was there. It was such a treat to see him on the same day it aired. I was really embarrassed at first, and I was like, "I don't think he wants to talk to me." We were just nobody on the show. He saw me and he was like, "Oh my God, Maggie!" He was so nice.

Wow, what a nice guy. Is that hard to find in this industry?
I've been lucky. Everybody I've talked to are absolutely amazing people. I've had so many other plus models give me encouragement and tell me, "Oh, you need to do this," or "You need to do that," or "This is not the right choice." It's been really nice.

Are you going to keep up with modeling?
Oh yeah. Next year I finish teaching and we're planning to move closer to LA. We're going to give it a go for a good year and see what happens. If it doesn't take I can always go back to teaching.

Your prize included a photo spread with Bombshell magazine. When's the shoot?
We're planning to do it sometime in February. They're doing a cover model search and they want to shoot us in the same week. I actually applied to the cover model search, so when I won they knew exactly who I was because they'd already reviewed my pictures. When the producer called them they were like, "We know who that is!"

What do you think when you see pictures of yourself in print?
It's funny because Sunni and I just had this conversation. She's like, "You should be an agent because you point out everything!" When I look at my pictures, it's not so much my body. I'm totally comfortable with my body and my curves, it's more like, "I should have smiled just a little bit more," or "I should have had a little more gleam in my eye." A lot of it is just experience in front of the camera.

What do you love about modeling?
First of all, I like being plus size. I like being able to represent real women, real figures. I also like dressing up and portraying a different character, really being "not myself." I'm very "teachery." What you see now, no makeup, that's usually how I am. It's a fun, different change of pace. I like to showcase clothing. I know that's weird, but I like to have people look at me and go, "I like that outfit!" Then I go, "Yeah, I got this at so-and-so." I love the networking part. Every time you go to a shoot you have a new makeup artist, a new photographer. You're always meeting new people.

Come on, tell us about the dark side of modeling. The stuff no one really wants to talk about.
You know, to tell you the truth I haven't really "hit it." I haven't come to that yet. I'm sure there is a dark side - a lot of people tell me that. I have been told that my portfolio is horrible. But, at the same time they look at me and they're like, "But we love you. No makeup, straight hair, those are the kinds of pictures we want to see." I'm like, "Really?" That was pretty much the harshest thing I've heard so far. To me, it was harsh because I spent so much time preparing for those shoots.

What do you think of the ban on skinny models at Madrid's fashion week? Could it be changing the face of fashion?
I definitely agree with it, but at the same time I'm a little upset about it. Technically speaking, the ban is against being below a certain BMI, and the BMI that they set it at is still very, very thin. I think that the media is making such a big deal about it, but the truth of the matter is that they're not actually banning "skinny" models. I'm not for everybody having to be really thick and curvy, but I am for being very healthy, and I am for portraying a real image for kids. When I was growing up, I had a really negative image of myself. I was always told, "Oh, you're too fat." I remember looking through magazines and going, "If only I was that thin." I like the idea of the ban, I just wish that they would be a little more real with it and a little more upfront about what it really is. I definitely think that they are making movements in the right direction, though.

What kind of challenges have you faced as a plus size woman, not just in modeling, but in life?
I can't think of any challenges that I've had, because I'm the type of person that says, "You're not going to stop me." If somebody said something to me, I'd be like, "Well, that's your opinion."

How long have you been shopping with us?
I wasn't before I modeled, and then a photographer I shot with kept saying, "Let's do a Torrid shot, let's do a Torrid shot!" I was like, "What's Torrid?" After I shot with her I started going into Torrid. I love Torrid! I love their clothing. It's a nice twist. I like Torrid because it's different. It's more edgy, it's more clubby and young. I like that.

Do you have a favorite Torrid outfit?
I like the black pants! They're a must. The corsets, I love the corsets. I just shot a top today that's zebra print and bare shoulders. It's gorgeous.

Any advice for a plus size girl looking to get into modeling?
Yeah, definitely don't spend a dollar trying to get into modeling. I haven't spent a dime. The second thing is that you determine your own worth. Don't let anyone tell you how much you're worth or how far you can go. If you really want to do it, put your mind to it, do a lot of research. That's really important. Everyone I've talked to in the industry are probably sick and tired of me because I’m constantly asking, "Well, what about this, how is this done?" Don't be afraid to ask questions. The worst they can do is not answer you, and then you just move on.