This past weekend I participated in the “Miss District High School” contest. First, if you didn’t attend, trust me when I tell you that the $50 prize would have been worth every penny of that small investment. In the end, I was unhappy and unhappy after paying $150 for this year’s carnival queen show, which in my opinion was not worth it. Despite the fact that, for the first time in the history of my participation in the Carnival Queen show, I have never seen so many people present as this year. It was a record turnout. Now let me stay focused here and get to the topic at hand.
“I’m a Saint Lucian” according to the lyrics in Arthur Allain’s famous song. However, I feel like most of the things we undertake are filled with mediocrity and substandard effort. This has caused a high level of awareness as it pertains to my expectations. But you know what they say, low expectations sometimes lead to great results; and this Miss County High School pageant certainly blew me out of the water with its surprisingly high standards. Yes, I said it!! It seemed better organized, the girls were prepared and on point, except for one unreachable girl. But as life would have it, there is always an abnormality in everything. Overall, it started off on a very high note and for your curious information, it did not disappoint.
There were five segments: Presentation, Talent, Swimwear, Evening Wear and the infamous Interview round. The presentations all started with a bang, most of the girls representing their schools with energy and courage. What sticks out in my mind as I relive these fond memories are the Miss Sports Academy. St. Lucia, Miss. Cicero, Miss. SJC, Miss. CCSS and Miss. I was clutching my pearls when one of them said “Let the battle begin.” It was a strong start for talent, beauty, brawn and definitely brains.
The talent segment was particularly well thought out and timely as it focused on the various social issues happening in St. Lucia at the moment. There was a sharp emphasis on the extent of Carnal Knowledge and pedophilic tendencies imposed on many of our new female students on the island. The performance in the song to seal the deal called them dirty and dirty people. Then there was a shift to the high rates of Child Abuse and if that wasn’t a fantasy reality, another talent focused on the current climate of gun violence, physical assaults, serious injuries and murders that seem to be commonplace. for us in St. Lucia. She prayed and prayed that we would come together and take Saint Lucia, because she is ours to keep.
Then came a fascinating follow up on how as Saint Lucians we seem to be destroyers of dreams with our negative energies. As the very people we trust and expect to be our cheerleaders are the ones who remove the bricks from our foundations. These dream killers included family members, our besties, our coaches, and even our significant others. But the real message in her delivery was that we remain focused on our dreams; to be our own cheerleaders, to speak positive affirmations into our lives and to work hard and believe that whatever we set our minds to do is always possible. What a powerful message it was and of course, that talent emerged as the Best Talent of the night; I’m sure the taste of victory was very sweet indeed.
Another talent centered on young women who were alert and obedient when it came to leaving their parents’ homes early. The frustrations of hanging out with men while playing at home with a baby in tow. Finally, I loved the talent which brought a bold look at society’s high expectations for women and girls and yet the serious ailments they face in the same language of society. She explored the harsh reality of her hypothetical mother’s life that included beatings by her husband and glorified acts of infidelity. She didn’t stutter as she delivered a very strong message to her husband-to-be. We heard it loud and clear when she told us what she will neither tolerate nor enjoy. Her standards were all self-aggrandizing, cooperative, respectful, and successful. What a bright future these contestants have if they continue to build on their already strong foundations. And that was the mouth full talent segment.
The swimwear segment begins with a quick thank you to whoever thought of putting the girls in uniform swimsuits that made them look cute, yet youthful and fun. Some fared better than others and I had a good laugh at those who wore looks of horror on their faces as they feared an embarrassing fall. After all, laughter is always part of the menu.
Before moving on to the evening wear segment, I must also applaud the make-up artists for their excellent work done on the girls’ faces. All the girls were beautifully and softly made up and looked amazing. None of them were redundant and outdated in the process. Some other shows get it wrong all the time, and I’m normally confused with the weight of the foundation and the jet lashes traumatizing the contestants, I’m sure. This time it was perfect, so Bravo to all the Make-Up Artists.
Let me give a caveat here before I move on to the next segment. Despite the show being amazing, the Evening Wear segment always seems to be a struggle for both aspiring and seasoned designers. I’m not sure if it’s due to short-notice mistakes, lack of creative skills, or a complete inability to interpret the segment itself and deliver properly.
Most of the dresses in the show left a lot to be desired and I believe it cost the girls a few points. I don’t want to define any of them specifically because that is not the overall objective of my article. However, I felt sad for some of the girls. It looked like some designers ran out of thread to sew the dresses properly. The colors against the new skin seemed to be out of focus and too much material was bought to execute a dress that the poor contestant was overwhelmed with fabric. I mean, these are high school girls for crying out loud, what happened to design words like young, fresh, bright, vibrant and youthful?
The one that stood out to me won the best evening wear category, and she shone brightly like the sun, no pun intended. And if I heard correctly, she had a hand in the design, so that was the icing on the cake. She claims to be an aspiring fashion designer, and if I do say so myself, her future looks dazzlingly bright.
The Interview segment is always the most dreaded and anticipated. I realized that the questions were not bad at all and that the girls were able to think for themselves and maneuver with their answers. They didn’t look like robots like some other contests that shall remain nameless. Although nerds are always unwelcome customers, they did pretty well apart from a few mistakes and a total misunderstanding of what was required of one or two of them. We need to have more debates and deeper discussions in our schools so that it encourages critical and creative thinking; it will also help our children with their eloquence and confidence.
Overall, I enjoyed the show and it was a great effort. I hope it continues next year, and the year after that, and the year after that. At the end, Mrs. SJC was also greeted. And please note, it wasn’t a slam dunk, it was a tough competition. Ms. Cicero came in second place and Miss. St. Lucia Sports Academy took third place. A big congratulations to all the girls who participated and made the show a huge success.
The emcees for the night really came through and the judges were in tune with the competition, thank goodness. I was a happy spectator and I wouldn’t have spent my Saturday any other way given the other chance. Way to go “Miss District High Guarantee”!! What a spectacle!
PS: Some food for sale at a competition show, never hurt anyone. A hungry man is indeed an angry man. Just saying!!
