Sakaye Brooks crowned Miss Green Island High 2014

Claudia Gardner, Assignment Coordinator

WESTERN BUREAU:Sixteen-year-old Sakaye Brooks walked away with the title of Miss Green Island High School 2014 at the pageant's coronation show last Saturday night.

The event was held at the Mandela Green Entertainment Centre in Green Island, Hanover, under the theme 'Young, Gifted and Black'.

Brooks' runners-up were Leomoya Mattis, who copped second place, and Shanice Chambers, who placed third. Two other girls, Sasha Gaye Davis and Shannon Buchanan, also made the top five. Five other girls made the top 10 of the competition out of an initial 14. They were Diana Barrett, Trevaunie Ward, Keveana Deans, Kimoy Rowe, and Akelia Atkinson.

"I am so happy and so excited to be Miss Green Island 2014. There is no other feeling in the world. I can't find the words to say. I don't know how to show it. I am so excited. My family is here showing support, and that inspired me a lot," an elated Brooks told Western Focus in an interview following the event.

INSTILL PRIDE

The aims of the competition were to instil pride in racial heritage in the girls and to raise funds for the school's track and field team's participation in the Penn Relays in the United States this year, as well as to fund the institution's performing arts group, which will also be entering the various competitions of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission.

The girls were judged in several areas, including cultural awareness, talent, dress, poise, and involvement in school.

The event began shortly after 8:30 p.m., with the girls doing an opening dance to contemporary dancehall music, followed by an African Princess Parade, where they sported outfits provided by Lucea-based fashion house Bunmai Fashion Design. The talent segment was well received by the audience as the girls performed cultural items ranging from dance to dub poetry to deejaying.

The formal wear segment saw the girls parading in gowns of various colours, which could rival those worn in national beauty queen competitions. It was followed by the announcement of the top five, and afterwards, the interview segment.

There were also performances by members of the Hopewell-based reggae group Rock Top, and all-male group from the Green Island High School, Boys Aloud, who serenaded the girls.

Sponsors of the event included Bunmai Fashions, Ricky's Tours, Garco Construction, Pinchy Coby Printers, Barbies Hair Dressing of Cave Valley, Magaritaville Negril, Diamond Linkz, Chaddy Riches, Toyonda Auto of Orange Bay, Swaby Printers of Grange Hill, the Hanover Cooperative Credit Union, Great Escape Promotions, Guango Tree Restaurant of Green Island, and Quest Cable Company.