Trudiann Ashmead Beauty from the east

The St Thomas Festival Queen 2011 is 18-year-old Trudiann Ashmead. The upper sixth form student of Morant Bay high school was crowned last Saturday.

Ashmeade was an obvious crowd favourite, though she wasn't alone in impressing the hundreds who turned out to Colonel Cove to witness the event.

Odea Roberts, Stacy-Ann Lyon, Monique Henry, Rachael Goslin, Renueka Grant, Kayon Fergusson, Alexia Davis and Trudiann Ashmead who entered this year's parish competition under the theme "Jamaican Woman ... Shaping Our Culture!", wowed the audience with a choreographed mento dance from the get-go.

Nineteen-year-old Monique Davis whose piece showed her being census taker won for herself the prize for the piece best depicting Vision 2030. However, it was 23-year-old Kayon Fergusson who came away with the prize for best performance. The crowd loved her depiction of a revival church pastor as she gave out a warning to St Thomas people to remember their heritage and to live loving and work to improve our nation.

Sectional prizes

Other sectional prizes which included Most Improved Contestant, went to 23-year-old Stacy Lyon. Fergusson also walked away with being Most Congenial and Ashmeade was Most Culturally Aware.

The top five contestants were Grant, Monique Henry, Ashmead, Fergusson and Lyon.

First runner-up went to Henry while Grant copped the second runner-up spot.

The Sunday Gleaner spoke with an excited newly crowned queen after the show. "It is really a wonderful feeling," she said "and I want to thank God for helping me to get this far."

"I am quite optimistic," she said in response to a question about the upcoming national competition.

"We know she will represent St Thomas well ... even though she was the youngest one in the competition she rose to the challenge," said Beverly Edwards-Stewart, JCDC parish cultural organiser.