Trelawny Festival Queen Winner Crowned

When the dust settled, the dark horse in the 2015 Trelawny Festival Queen Contest, N'Jari Avery Chambers, walked away with the crown ahead of seven other contestants at the historic Falmouth Wharf, recently.

Being articulate, poised and winning the heavily weighted sectional prize of 'Most Culturally Aware', the writing was on the wall, and endorsed by some who have a knowledge of the rules of the contest, that she would be the queen.

However, with some of the other contestants having overwhelming crowd support, it could easily have been mistaken that crowd support was one of the judging criteria and Chambers wouldn't win. She also didn't fit the petite billing which persons have associated with beauty queen contests. As expected, therefore, there was disappointment in a section of the crowd when she was announced as winner. However, the level-headed view was that the best girl had won.

Aspiring journalist

Chambers is 19 and from Duncans in the parish. She has one sister. Her mother is a teacher and her father a retied policeman. She is an upper sixth-form student at William Knibb Memorial High School. Volunteering and public speaking, among other things, are her passion and she hopes to one day become a journalist. She worships at the Highway Redemption Temple in Falmouth.

Second place went to Olivea Cole, who also won the sectional prize for 'Most Poised', while Latoya Shirley held third spot. She got the 'Most Active Contestant in Community' sectional prize. Nastacia Gayle was the runaway winner as 'Best Performer' or most talented.