The Marabella Unemployment and Welfare Committee (MUWC) hosted their annual junior competition, with three titles in one show, tailored to meet the goals of building self-esteem, discipline and etiquette on August 23.
Thirteen children, aged six to 14, took part in the summer event, each hoping to be named Miss Pretty Little Summer Princess (MPLSP), Mr Handsome Junior (MHJ) and Miss Emancipation Talent and Queen (METQ) 2009. Creating excellence and entertainment, the youngsters opened the show with a dance routine to the late Michael Jackson's Beat It. Clad in white V-neck T-shirts and black slacks, the contestants in MPLSP and MHJ moonwalked and glided across the stage at the Creative Arts Centre in San Fernando, as Jackson did in his videos.
The girls of the MPLSP then showed ingenuity in the natural creation segment, followed by the boys' challenge to impersonate a local icon.
The girls in the METQ segment also proved popular with the audience as they portrayed innovative authentic garments in keeping with the theme of the show, "Blue, blue God loves you". Annette Valdez, vice-chairman of the San Fernando Civil Society of Networks, commended the group for their hard work and dedication over the years.
Valdez said, "The Marabella Unemployment and Welfare Committee must be acknowledged for nurturing young minds and for growing from strength to strength. "They have continued to set these young people on the road to have good leadership skills, and they have continued to serve the people of their community." The Mr Handsome Junior competition was the latest addition to the show, organised with the aim to channel their skills into something "meaningful" and "positive." Marabella West councillor Jennifer Marryshow also applauded the group for being an active one. In the end, Marion Lewis, Camille Griffith and Mahindra Ramdeo emerged winners in the Miss Emancipation, Miss Pretty Little Summer Princess and Mr Handsome Jr 2009, respectively.