KAVEH HOLDER AND AMAYA HOWARD are the gems of The St Michael School.
Saturday night before a large audience, the duo captured the titles of Mr and Miss St Michael School Model Search 2017 after a keen contest that saw six boys and six girls walk the runway.
From the opening segment, titled One Caribbean, until the final one, titled Gem, the two showed they meant business. They won both these segments as well as the People’s Choice Award.
Holder looked at ease on the runway and the bright-coloured shirt and black and white houndstooth slacks he wore in the designer wear segment stood out. The male contestants all wore Kofi Branch’s Legende Resort and Swim Wear, and while Holder did not win this segment he showed he was not afraid to stand out.
This attitude continued in Varsity, as he represented the cheer team, but it was his showing in the Gem category, in which he depicted the colour and revelry of Crop Over, that surely cinched the title for him.
Holder entered the stage wearing a khaki and orange overall with hat and wielding a cutlass, accompanied by two girls bearing stalks of cane. He was quickly stripped to show a yellow suit with green waistcoat embellished with beads and a chunky neck piece.
Howard seemed to have fun on stage. She was playful and flirty at times and serious and reverent at others, especially in her depiction of Codrington College. Her pale gold/ecru/beige-coloured outfit, complete with a mitre, was well conceptualised and she wore it well. All the female contestants wore designer Christine Adam’s clothing well, but it was Howard’s appearance in a white and red outfit that saw her coming out on top.
Second place overall went to Menelik Babb and Shonya Ward, and third were the cool Jaren Worme, who won Mr Photogenic, and Alyssa Bryan.
Worme’s blue and sand-coloured suit was nice and there was no doubt that he was showing off the country’s gorgeous beaches. The image of the surfer riding a wave was a nice touch.
In the Designer segment, Babb was clean in his khaki slacks, long-sleeved blue shirt and straw hat. He won this category as well as Best Varsity in his Cadet uniform.
Ward’s cute blue tennis outfit, complete with blue shoes and racket, was the best among the girls. That segment showcased clubs or activities at the school.
Simone Williams was adjudged the Most Improved Female and Miss Photogenic. She also won the African Appreciation Day Challenge, which was judged before Saturday, and received the Principal’s Achievement Award. Nicholas Sobers was the Most Improved male contestant.
Both Ward’s and Williams’ gowns were gorgeous. Ward wore a white gown accentuated with flowers as she showcased Barbados flora, and there was no hiding the beauty of Harrison’s Cave as Williams dazzled in her gold floor-length number.
The other contestants were Nathan Highland, Henderson Bovell, Arielle Small and Antonia Small, who gave a good account of themselves.
Kudos to the organising committee, who shortened the show considerably by doing away with the model segments that were part of the two previous shows. This allowed for the focus to be on the contestants and suited the young patrons who wanted to attend the after party.
The entertainment package was good and included performances from saxophonist Romario Wilkinson, Joaquin and Nikita, the school’s cheerleading squad the SMS Cougars, student Meagan Greene and the BCC Chorale. (GBM)
