The parish of Manchester will be proudly represented by 19-year-old University of the West Indies law student Deneila Wright at the upcoming Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition in August.
Wright, who wore the sash Miss S&G Road Surfacing Materials, was crowned parish queen on Sunday, June 15, at Belair High School in Manchester, following a glittering showcase of talented, culturally aware, and intelligent young women.
The new queen’s guiding philosophy, “Rain cyah fall every day, sun muss haffi shine – following every challenge is an opportunity for triumph,” reflects her resilience and optimism. Her special areas of interest include youth advocacy and empowerment, law, public speaking, and debating.
From the outset, Wright charmed the capacity audience, and her performance only strengthened as the evening progressed. She went on to capture three of the six sectional awards: Most Culturally Aware, Most Poised, and Best Performance.
The top three was rounded out by first runner-up Danita Crawford, Miss Manchester Co-Op Credit Union, who also won Most Active in the Community and Most Popular on Social Media, and third-place winner Renese Francis, Miss Gateway Pharmacy, who was also named Most Congenial.
The Top Five was completed by Omelia Johnson, Miss Cameron Industries, and Kareen Thompson, Miss Heaven’s Fesco.
Wright was crowned by the outgoing queen, Shonnoya Houston, who was first runner-up at the national finals in 2024.
The National Festival Queen Competition is sponsored by the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports, and Education (CHASE) Fund, Airports Authority of Jamaica, National Housing Trust, HEART/NSTA Trust, Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency, and Excelsior.