The smiles on the young ladies' faces told the joy they felt as a whopping 34 contestants were sashed in a private setting for the sponsors and family for the Miss Teen Portmore pageant at the McMasters Centre, Portmore Mall, last Sunday.

Parents, other family members, well-wishers and some of the sponsors were on hand to witness the event. The 34 ladies will vie for the crown of Miss Teen Portmore 2012 at the grand coronation show scheduled for the Portmore Pines Plaza on Sunday, August 19. The girls will make courtesy calls at various places within Portmore, and Kingston and St Andrew. They will also participate in recreational activities which include a trip to Dunn's River falls.

Positive activities

The Miss Teen Portmore pageant is organised and produced by Octron Promotions and is part of the Portmore Jamaica 50 celebrations. The concept of the Miss Teen Portmore (Summer) Pageant came out of the need to facilitate and assist teenage girls with positive activities to occupy their time, while fostering personal development. One major criterion is for applicants to have at least a C+ average as the organisers are promoting educational growth and vision for the teens, especially through scholarships. The girls must be 14-17 years old and exhibit a talent.