Stefan Camejo, nine, sprinted across the Queen's Park Savannah stage yesterday, hands thrown back, as he imitated a plane, before running to the side and jumping into the arms of his older sister, who pulled him to her tightly.This was the youngster's reaction as his name was announced as the winner of the Flavorite Supreme Ice Cream Primary Schools Junior Soca Monarch competition.
Camejo, a pupil of Sacred Heart Boys' RC, Port-of-Spain, whose brother, Sergio Camejo, was also a Junior Soca Monarch winner and whose father Enrico Camejo plays bass for soca artiste Bunji Garlin, grinned as he walked to the stage to the sound of cheers and applause from his peers.Earlier, the youngster came on stage in a replica of Caribbean Airlines plane, dressed in blue as a pilot and invited the audience to ride on the Soca Plane which was the title of his song.
The competitions for both primary and secondary schools took place at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.The young performers sang and danced along as the high-pitched screams from classmates cheered them on.Some breakdanced on stage, others performed acrobatics and soared through the sky on planes, delivering presentations which could present competition for their older counterparts.
D'Janela Duncan Regis, a pupil of Eshe's Learning Centre, placed second with her song Real Unity, while San Fernando Girls' Government pupil Aallyah Webb placed third.In the secondary schools category, judges gave a tie for first place between former Secondary School Monarch Jeromy Rodriguez from Cowen Hamilton Secondary, Moruga, with Soca Soldier and Sasha Ann Moses, of UWI's Sixth Form School, who sang Red, White and Black.
Timel Rivas from Hillview College, Tunapuna placed third.The Junior Soca Monarch competitions, which are hosted by Caribbean Prestige Foundation, has been the launching pad for the careers of some leading soca artistes, such as Erphaan Alves and Patrice Roberts. Both artistes were guest entertainers at yesterday's event.
Roberts thrilled the audience as she ignored the stage to perform amidst the schoolchildren, who hugged her and sang along to the lyrics of her songs.