Seven young ladies from various Secondary Schools on the island will vie for the title of Miss Teen Dominica 2017 on February 9.
The contestants were officially launched at a ceremony held at the Arawak House of Culture on Wednesday.
They are, Britney Toussaint representing the Isaiah Thomas Secondary School sponsored by E.H Charles & Co.Ltd; Selena Edwards representing the Castle Bruce Secondary School and sponsored by the Ministry of Kalinago Affairs; Lesean Bellot representing the Dominica Grammar School and sponsored by New India Assurance Co.Ltd; Furlisha Edwards representing the Pierre Charles Secondary School and sponsored by Grand Bay Credit Union; Ashanti Alleyne representing the Goodwill Secondary School and sponsored by Cadrec;, Cheyenne Dewhurst representing the Convent High School and sponsored by Dominica Lotteries Commission and Ashley St. Jean representing the Portsmouth Secondary School and sponsored by Ross University.
They will compete in five segments including, Speech, Spectacular Creation, Talent, Evening Wear and Question and Answer.
Artistic Director of the Waitikubuli Dance Theatre, Raymond Lawrence who was addressing the ceremony, said the Miss Teen Dominica pageant creates a wonderful platform for the youth of Dominica to shine.
“It helps them to develop their speaking, their modeling and their performing skills,” he said. “It also helps them to build their sense of self-confidence, self-esteem, facing a crowd, facing a group of people…it helps them in the future with their jobs if they have to deliver lectures and they have to speak to large groups of people.”
Lawrence continued, “Now you have the Visual and Performing Arts in the schools and shows like the Teenage Pageant helps to strengthen and promote this program in the schools and now some students are even doing CXC exams in some of the art forms, like music and theatre.”
He went on to say that persons should not consider the pageant so much as a competition.
“Sometimes when we see it too much as competition it sort of builds a sort of unhealthy rivalry,” he explained.
Lawrence also told persons to have a healthy sense of competition, “a healthy sense of celebration of our young people.”
“No matter who wins we should be all encouraging each other, congratulating,” he stated.
The show which is organized by the Waitikubuli Dance Theatre is set for Sunday February 19, at the Carnival City now named after the late ‘Eddie Andre’.
The event is expected to begin at 5:00 pm.
Ticket prices are $20 for adults, $15 for children and $30 for sitting.
The headline sponsor is AC Shillingford & Co.Ltd, agents for PROMEX milk.
The reigning Miss Teen Dominica is Tiffany Eloi, of the Portsmouth Secondary School.
Raymond Congrats. School pageants should be educational. Not in swimwear and competing with other pageants, people must stop pushing their own agenda. Take a leaf from the other colleges and unversity pageants please.
hmmm. wish you girls the best
dear ms dominica you are lovely
I am deeply offended by this news.
Dominica is a modern and progressive country and MUST go with the flow of good human rights and gender equality policies that are now advocated and practiced worldwide. This means that we must now have the following additional competitions asap:=
1) Miss Transgender Dominica
2) Miss Lesbian Dominica
3) Mr. Gay King Dominica.
I am afraid when they wanted recognition,it would come to that and more. Give them an inch they will take a foot. They are free to participate. Women with women pageant. Men with men pageant. Is anyone holding them back?
Furthermore, there was a gay pageant. Everyone should know their own places. They can arrange one and keep it among themselves.
Heterosexuals do not ask to be included nor do they want to be included.
I agree with Professor Cummings.
If you are pro-Dominican, you are pro-ALL Dominicans, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
Excellent advice Raymond. This should help them appreciate the pageant as a learning process and to build up their overall confidence and deportment.
Yes! They should not look upon it as a competition. Hope they keep this excellent advice in mind.
These young ladies are beautiful. They look elegant and confident. I wish each one of you all the best. Have fun as you prepare for and vie for the title of Miss Teen Dominica 2017.
Congratulations!!!!!! And wish those lovely young ladies the best.