‘Sponsors, chaperones made Miss Heritage possible’

Head of the national heritage organization Latoya DeRoche says that without the help of the other committee members and the many sponsors, the 2015 Scotiabank National Secondary Schools’ Miss Heritage Pageant, in association with JU-C, would not have been possible.{{more}}

DeRoche spoke about the importance of sponsors and reliable workers during the Miss Heritage prize-giving ceremony, which was held last Saturday, November 14, at the Grenadine House at Kingstown Park.

“The task is mine to give a detailed thank you to all those who would have helped during this process,” said DeRoche who thanked businesses like Scotia Bank (St Vincent) Ltd, Ju-C, the Government of SVG, the National Lottery’s Mc Gregor Sealey, SVGTV, Hitz FM, Beachcombers, Standard Shippers, Seachlight, Ting Nice Promotions, the Department of Culture, NBC Radio, Multigraphics, KPMG, Rosewood Apartment hotel and The chaperones of the various contestants.

Said DeRoche to the chaperones, “You guys nailed it on the night, nailed it. While the girls would have expressed confidentially about one or two negative chaperone attitudes, this group of chaperones rocked. When we saw the girls’ productions on the night of the competition, we knew how hard you would have worked.”

To the chaperones who did not mentor a girl that won, DeRoche offered, “I know how some of you feel, why, because as I say, my involvement in your pageantry has only ever been from your end. Those of you who didn’t get a placement or those whose girls didn’t sit in the chair, think of the impact you would have made on these children’s lives. While winning is great, the process and impact, I believe is even greater. You helped these girls to be proud ambassadors for their school and more so themselves. Let’s think of the bigger picture. Thank you for a wonderful job. Well done.”

DeRoche also used the opportunity to thank the persons who donated gifts or trophies. These persons include René Baptiste, Alma Dougan, Dahlia Dasilva, Dr Kathleen Israel, Kemeisha Llewelyn of the Spectacle Shoppe, Mavis Williams of Echoes Jewellery, Danielle Cupid from Digicel SVG, Amada Dioum of Sallah’s Boutique, Karen Cambridge of Amnesia Fashions and Heather Scott of Reliance Stationery, among others.

She said that this year the NHO set out on a quest to do better than what they did two years ago and they achieved that.

During the prize-giving ceremony, all the contestants were rewarded for their participation. Keithryll Miller of the Girls’ High School (GHS), the winner of the pageant, received numerous prizes from the various sponsors of the event. The GHS was also given 10 folding chairs as a result of Miller taking the crown. Also rewarded on Saturday was second placed Rondine Brown of the St Joseph’s Convent Kingstown, third placed Ulrica Gaymes of the Central Leeward Secondary School and fourth placed Jo-Anne Andrews of the St Joseph’s Convent Marriaqua.

The pageant’s nine contestants also received prizes. Rewarded were Terrece John from the Intermediate High School, Gabricia Yorke from the Bishop’s College Kingstown, Azinza Browne from the Dr JP Eustace Memorial Secondary School, Jakida Olliverre of the Bequia Community High School and Julia Lewis from St Clair Dacon Secondary School. All the schools involved were also gifted for allowing the students to participate.