Leanna reigns in East St. George

Leanna Simon, a 14-year-old Girls’ High School student, is enjoying her reign as 2005 Miss East St. George Carnival Queen.

The third former walked away with the best talent, best swim wear and best evening gown segments to cop the title last Friday night at Club Marcomay. {{more}}

Gallantly parading her winning evening gown designed by her school’s art teacher Tamara Brackin, the young lass got the judges’ nod in that category.

She again satisfied the judges, after stylishly using the stage to show off her swimwear and her talent, a dramatisation portraying the horrors of vagrants, which was well received by the excited crowd.

Simon said her talent performance, inspired from a recent Searchlight news feature on vagrants living on the streets of Kingstown, was just another message to improve the plight of the destitute. “I was influenced by the Searchlight feature on the vagrants and I wanted to help,” Simon explained, while visiting the Searchlight on Tuesday.

Having won both the Miss Junior Culture and Miss Teen Culture titles in previous years, her experience in pageantry may have given her the edge over the other contestants. First runner up was Afesha Creese who was ajudged best interview; second runner up was Roseann Primus, Miss Photogenic Inka John; and Miss Amenity was Samantha Alexander.

“My aim is to go on to the Miss SVG pageant, I see myself competing for that event in a couple years,” Simon said.

The devout Christian is not dismissing any negative comments from her critics.

“I personally do not see anything wrong with a Christian being in a pageant, it’s how you carry yourself and the self-image your portray,” she defended.

Sharing similar sentiments was Calypso King Roland “Chico B” Cato. He out sung second place winners Kijah Gani and Gosnel Cupid, who shared second place points. Fourth place went to Trevor “Stranger Grant” with Winston “Tump I” Thoms in fifth place.

The event climaxed with a dazzling performance from Barbadian Rising Star performer, Kimberly Innis.