St. Thomas Crowns 2025 Petite Princess, Princess, and Jr. Miss at Eight-Hour Pageant Showcase

In an eight-hour display of culture, creativity, and youthful poise, the Division of Festivals within the Department of Tourism hosted the 2025 St. Thomas Petite Princess, Princess, and Jr. Miss pageants on Saturday night. The triple-pageant event took place at the Eldridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on the University of the Virgin Islands campus. With two contestants each in the Petite Princess and Princess categories—Skai Lewis and Suraia LaPlace Thomas for Petite Princess, and Kaysa Freeman and Emelia Brooks for Princess—each competitor was guaranteed a spot on the winners’ podium. The Jr. Miss category, however, was more competitive, featuring four contenders: Ayanna Saunders Gardener, Amaya Marks, Alauna Petersen, and Jada-Marie Donovan. The evening opened with the on-stage interview segment for Jr. Miss contestants. Each girl shared what they enjoyed most about their school and how that aspect positively shaped their development. Ayanna Gardener highlighted the personalize...