BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - CONGRATULATIONS are in order for 15-year-old Junika Berry of the Washington High School, who last evening (Dec. 16) won the 2011/2012 Miss Talented Teen title, making proud her schoolmates, teachers and administration of that learning institution.
Just as her name was announced winner of the competition, Carnival Village erupted in cheers of jubilation, confetti was spewed into the air and Berry’s face reflected the excitement and happiness she was experiencing.
The other competitors were Kariesa Mulley of the Charles E. Mills Secondary School (CEMS), Xiaoyu Harris of the Saddlers Secondary School (SSS), Tervrehn Bedford of the Cayon High School (CHS), Aresia Pereira of the Verchild’s High School (VHS), Ashlee Franks of the Immaculate Conception Convent School (ICCS), and Monique Johnson of the Basseterre High School (BHS) and Berry.
All contestants were required to participate in five-judged segments - Ambassadorial Speech, Ambassadorial Wear, Performing Talent, Formal Teenage Wear and Onstage Interview. They were also required to and participated in the opening fanfare.
According to the judges tally sheets, Berry’s performance in all the judged segments, barring one, was superior to her competitors’.
Amassing a total of 614 points, she won Best Ambassadorial Speech, Best Ambassadorial Wear, Best Performing Talent and Best Formal Teenage Wear.
The ICCS’ Franks won Best Interview and placed First Runner-up with a total of 607 points, while the Second Runner-up was VHS’ Pereira with 576.5 points and the Third Runner-up spot was copped by BHS’ Johnson who amassed 547 points.
The contestants glided through all segments with perceived relative ease, but the Interview segment proved challenging with most of them struggling to find the words needed to properly express themselves.
For her Performing talent, Berry appeared on stage as a child saddened by the ‘loss’ of her father.
He did not die, but, after professing love for his daughter, the relationship between him and her mother went sour and he left her.
The complaint that Berry has was that when her father left her mother, he left her too; a situation which caused her much pain.
Each contestant was presented participation trophies while the Chairman’s Award and the Miss Photogenic Award were presented to Berry. Miss Amity, however, was presented to Verchild’s Pereira.
It was not all smiles and cheers at the end of the competition however, and a popular refrain fluttered from the lips of many patrons of the show.
“Dey cheat, dey cheat” was the cry of those who felt that the judges may have fallen asleep on the job or, for some reason or another, missed some of the appearances.
Be that as it may, however, the judges’ decision was final and SKNVibes takes the opportunity to congratulate all the participants for their splendid performances.
Last year’s competition was won by Siobhan Phipps, who represented the ICCS.
The Junior Calypso competition was also held last evening which was won by Singing Solution whose rendition was entitled ‘Candle in the Wind’.
