National Carnival Queen Pageant

On Saturday July 2nd, 2016 the National Cultural Centre will come alive for the staging of this year’s National Carnival Queen Pageant. Eight beauties will compete for the crown. They are Anna-Kim Williams – Miss Saint Lucia Tourist Board, Kerline Sylvester – Miss Radio Caribbean International, Shatoya Jn. Baptiste – Miss Super J IGA, Sheris Paul – Miss Bounty, Racquel John – Miss Saint Lucia Zouks, Bernella Velinor – Miss Piton, Kayshia Verneuil – Miss Digicel and Tyler Theophane – Miss F.I.C.S.

This week we present three of the contestants to our readers:

Anna-Kim Williams

On December 4th, 1993 Anna-Kim Williams was born into a small family and is the first of two girls. She attended the Ave Maria Girls’ School and attained her 8 CXC qualifications at the St. Joseph’s Convent Secondary School. During her school years, she participated mainly in sports although she says she also enjoyed dancing and was a member of the Christylights Dance Academy. Currently she is a member of the Miracle Dancers Entertainment group.

Because of her love for children, Anna-Kim wants to become a teacher, to be able to help mould children for the future by developing character, creativity and skills necessary to live productive lives. Anna-Kim describes herself as a free spirit in search of new experiences. She believes that in order to live a meaningful life, we have to stay positive and work hard to achieve success.

Bernella Velinor

“If I were asked, ‘What defines you as a young lady?’ my response would be, ‘Discipline,’ says twenty-three-year-old Bernella Velinor. “I believe that it is a fundamental character trait for pursuing a lifetime’s worth of goals and it has allowed me to adopt the appropriate attitude for the various paths that I have chosen.”

“At six years old, I had already set my first two goals: to become a doctor and attend the leading secondary school on-island (where I was to receive special awards for English among other prizes).”

Two years after graduating from SALCC, she enrolled in the Business Management (HR Minor) Undergraduate Degree Programme at the Monroe College but withdrew after the second semester due to unfavorable circumstances.

“However, the timely words of my secondary school principal still ring in my ears: “No matter what happens to you or how defeating your problem may seem, do not allow yourself to feel like a victim.”

Bernella says she has chosen the HR field because she would like to help unemployed and working Saint Lucians become more productive and passionate about self-development rather than remaining victims of dire social ills that they may be experiencing. “There is no greater thrill in life than helping others become the best versions of themselves. My journey is just beginning to unfold,” she declares.

Tyler Theophane

Seated at the foothills of the Choiseul district, approximately seven kilometers west of the village, is the small community of Cafeiere which offers to you this young, talented, ambitious, eighteen-year-old Tyler Theophane.

Tyler is greatly influenced by her Caribbean Studies teacher, Ms. Charlemagne, who continually shows and reminds her of the ways that she could help the environment, and also by her mother who always promoted that it is always better to have the courage to pursue your dreams. She frequently uses a quote by Andre Kyle Dionisio, which she sees as motivation: “Better trying and fail than failing to try.” It is through these words of wisdom she got the courage to represent her previous school, Choiseul Secondary, at the Saint Lucia Junior Achievement competition. As PRO of the JA Club she also had the opportunity to go to Mexico to represent St. Lucia.

Her mother’s involvement in voluntary activities and groups has given Tyler the extra zeal to get involved in voluntary work herself. She is currently a member of the SLU MADE Group and the Cafeiere Youth Group in her community. As the PRO of SLU MADE she assists the smaller communities and also the elderly by providing hampers to these people.