St Thomas police stage successful pageant for young women

Cheers echoed throughout Morant Bay Primary School on Saturday (July 25), as 10-year-old Caylee Francis and 17-year-old Salena Dawkins were crowned the junior and senior winners, respectively, of the Miss St. Thomas Police Youth Club Pageant 2026.

The annual competition, now in its third staging, showcased the talents, confidence and determination of young women from across the parish as they competed in several judged segments before an enthusiastic audience.

Caylee, a student of White Horses Primary School, emerged victorious after delivering standout performances throughout the evening.

She also captured two of the three sectional awards, taking home trophies for Best Talent Piece and Best Formal Wear, while impressing judges with her poise and confidence during the question-and-answer segment.

Her crowning was met with loud applause and vocal support from family, friends and supporters gathered inside the venue.

Reflecting on her experience, Caylee said participating in the pageant has made her even more self-assured.

“It helped with my character; I was confident before but now I am even more confident,” she said.

She encouraged other young persons to become involved in similar activities, noting that they provide valuable opportunities for personal development.

The junior competition also produced strong performances from the other contestants, with Arrianna Bassant placing First Runner-Up. Denyque Richards secured the Second Runner-Up position and received the Most Popular on Social Media award.

Meanwhile, Ms. Dawkins, a student of St. Thomas Technical High School, claimed her title after a polished performance that also earned her the Best Talent Piece sectional award.

Nashiema George was named Second Runner-Up and received the Most Popular on Social Media award in the senior category.

Police Youth Club Coordinator for the St. Thomas Division, Constable Roger Douglas, said the pageant has become an important avenue for developing the confidence and personal growth of participants.

"This is something that we pride ourselves with, helping these young ladies to grow into themselves," he said.

Constable Douglas noted that many contestants leave the programme more confident, bolder and better equipped to overcome their fear of public speaking.

He added that the pageant also supports the work of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Community Safety and Security Unit (CSSU) by strengthening relationships between the police and the communities they serve.

"Our mandate is to go into the schools, the churches, the communities, and to rap with the community members to ensure that the police and the citizens have a good relationship, and one of the [methods] that we use is the Police Youth Club," Constable Douglas said.

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