–via inaugural ‘Ms Teen with a Purpose’ pageant

UNDER the theme, “Eradicating illiteracy through reading” the first ever Region Four ‘Miss Teen With A Purpose Pageant’ will be held in September 2019.
This is according to the coordinator, Miss Pamela Vaughn, known as ‘Promoter Pammy’.
She said the initiative stemmed from her love for pageantry, fashion and entertainment.
Miss Vaughn is currently an English Language teacher at the Hope Secondary School.
She is well-known for hosting maypole activities along the East Coast of Demerara, but in her current endeavor, she wants to host an event of elegance, which would attract a different type of crowd while giving back to communities and empowering young girls.
Hence, she said the idea was born with the help of several organisers and the Neighbourhood Democratic Council.

The pageant will involve nine young ladies from the villages of Haslington, Enmore, Clonbrook, Ann’s Grove, Covent Gardens, Victoria, Beterverwagting, Bareroot and Buxton.
On Sunday August 18, 2019, Miss Vaughn held a workshop at her Belfield home with the delegates. She was supported by her sister, Michelle Vaughn, a former athlete and graduate of Queen’s College and Auburn University.
Michelle Vaughn is also currently a Professor at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in the USA.

The workshop dealt with sexual education, toxic and abusive relationships, peer pressure, maintaining healthy relationships and building self-confidence.
It was held with the intention of educating and empowering the young delegates.
This newspaper was able to speak with a few of the delegates in an exclusive interview.
Seventeen-year-old Ava Seline, representing the village of Ann’s Grove, believes being in a pageant is not just about beauty, it’s more about service to the community and being a role model to younger girls. Her platform is violence against women.
Miss Seline intends on using the “Miss Teen With A Purpose Pageant” to bring greater awareness to violence against women in her community and advocate against same.

Also vying for the crown is Christel De Jesus, a 17-year-old aspiring nurse. She quoted the words of Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world”, during the interview.
Miss De Jesus will be representing the village of Victoria under the platform, ‘the positive impact of formal and informal learning’.
If crowned queen, she intends on making a proposal to the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social Cohesion and Food for the Poor to facilitate a program or foundation to provide school supplies to young people who fell short in life or are unable to afford to attend school.

She said “being a part of this pageant has allowed me to view life in many perspectives. It has helped me to gain more confidence in myself, especially being a ‘plus’ size. I have become a better public speaker and an inspiration to other girls with thicker thighs.”
Shawanna Sydney is truly a force to be reckoned with; her bold personality demands your attention when she walks into a room. The 15- year-old will be representing Covent Gardens under the platform ‘effects of dancehall music on women’.
She says “I am a young lady that never settles for less, not if but when I am crowned Miss Region 4, I will use my title to increase awareness by volunteering to help the less fortunate and homeless.”

Miss Sydney also intends on hosting fund-raising activities and women empowerment symposia. She also hopes to, one day, take her pageantry to the big stage and represent Guyana at the Miss Universe pageant.
So far, the delegates, along with the help of their organizers, have hosted a take away lunch and a one-week reading camp at the St Andrews Primary school in Cove and John, which helped children ages 5-14 develop better literacy skills.
The launching of the pageant will be held at the Grove Haslington Community Centre on Sunday, August 25, 2019.