Yoanna House (born
April 9,
1980 in
Jacksonville, Florida) is an American
fashion model and most known for winning
Cycle 2 of
America's Next Top Model.
Early life
House was born and raised in
Jacksonville, Florida. House's father, a physician, is from
Canada, and her mother is from
Mexico.
[ Biography via IMG Models IMG Models website. Last accessed 9 December 2006.] From early childhood, House showed great interest in
fashion, which she claims was spurred by her grandmother, saying in an interview:
"I was always in her closet. We would watch TV, read magazines, go to the mall. She taught me about couture and how important it was. A lot of my appreciation came from her." [Interview with GirlPosse.com Girlposse.com. Last accessed 30 August 2006]
After graduating from Bishop Kenny High School in 1998, House attended the
University of North Florida, majoring in international relations and Asian studies.
Around this time, House also began to pursue a career in fashion modeling, but claimed she found her options limited because she was overweight. She says she eventually lost 45 pounds after changing her diet and adopting an exercise plan.
[ "Yoanna Be A Model?" 48 Hours story. Last accessed on 30 August 2006.]
