(Left- right) Kamyce Penn, Erika Creque, Keje Hendrickson, Miss Teen BVI 2011-12 Ashellica Fahie, Diamond Lake and Shamoia Maduro. Photo: VINO

Contestants will be competing for the title of Miss Teen BVI on October 6, 2012, at the Eileen L. Parsons Auditorium, Paraquita Bay. Photo: VINO

With hopes of being Ashellica’s successor, the 2012 contestants are: Kamyce Penn, Erika Creque, Keje Hendrickson, Diamond Lake and Shamoia Maduro. The contestants were unveiled at Maria's By the Sea last evening July 12, 2012.

The pageant this year will be held under the theme ‘A celebration’, given that this is its tenth year.

In order to be Teen Queen, each contestant will be participating in judged segments such as: Introduction Speech, Cultural Costume, Talent, Evening Wear and onstage Question and Answer.

The pageant is scheduled for October 6, 2012 at the Eileen L. Parsons auditorium at 7 p.m.

The girls will also be participating in a judged personal interview segment a week before the show, on September 29. Location and time has not been revealed as yet.

This news site had the opportunity to speak with the reigning Miss Teen BVI, who informed us that she is "no where" ready to give up her crown, but also informed us of some characteristics the new queen must have.

“My reign is wonderful and active, where I have represented the BVI regionally in pageants and parades and if it was my decision, I would have cancelled the show this year and put it next year to make my reign longer…. the new queen should have intellect, because the organisation is planning to add more shows and having that intellect will show others that the BVI do have smart and competitive people who can represent and make their home proud. The new queen must also have talent and a good personality.”

She added that each young lady should carry themselves as queens, even if others do not think so.

“If you think you’re a queen, royalty will always follow.”

Chairperson and coordinator of the event, Rupert Vanterpool, said the Miss Teen BVI contestants must possess some sense of intelligence based on their grades and background in school and in social groups.

He added that the girls must have the ability to be role models, as they would be expected to represent the Virgin Islands in regional pageants, if made queen.

“As a scholarship programme, we look for teens who wish to continue school, they have to be in school, and we focus on the ones that were honour students. We are looking for how intelligent and talented they are, for them to effectively and proudly represent the BVI.”

Mr. Vanterpool stated that this year, one major change of the pageant will be that only the queen will participate in regional pageants.

In previous years, the queen and runners-up had the opportunity to participate in regional shows.

The young lady who is made queen will also win a $3000 scholarship, $1000 cash prize and have the chance to enter four regional pageants: Miss Digicel Haynes Smith in St. Kitts, Caribbean Talented Teen in Anguilla, Miss. Easterval in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Miss Aquaval held in Grenada.

“These are four of the shows that we partake in and we are looking for a few more to represent the BVI. Our goal is to encourage educational growth and community awareness, we try to find girls that want to continue their education and needs financing.”

Mr. Vanterpool, in relation to this year’s pick, stated, “All the girls are very talented in different areas, we have three contestants who were former contestants of Miss Fifth Form, last year and the year before, one who entered Miss Teen Diva and another who never entered a pageant.”