Clarendon Festival Queen has BIG DREAMS
On June 17, Dennae Mills was crowned Miss Clarendon Festival Queen, a competition she wasn’t sure about entering due to the ongoing pandemic.
“Nevertheless, friends and family encouraged me to sign up and still give it a try. I had no doubt in myself because I have been preparing for the competition from a very young age and so winning did not come as a surprise, but more of a goal accomplished. I’m grateful for the opportunity and the experience garnered and I am truly proud of myself,” she said. Mills also won sectional prizes for Most Active in Community and Best Performance.
Mills said that she decided to enter the competition because she always admired the ambitious women who have entered and made a great impact both before and after the competition. “I’ve admired also what the competition stands for in regards to women empowerment and unearthing and promoting the authentic talents that we hold and giving us the opportunity to share such and also productively developing ourselves and community, and by extension the country,” she said.
I MISSED THE AUDIENCE
Mills, 21, a second- year tourism management student at the University of the West Indies, (UWI) Mona (with a minor in journalism) said performing on a virtual platform was different from what she anticipated.
“I missed the audience interaction and the energy that the room would be filled with from loved ones and supporters. However, the event was seamlessly delivered and I still had a great time in spite of the changes caused by the pandemic,” she shared.
Mills said her short-term plan is to complete her first degree and to develop herself personally and professionally, making her family and loved ones proud to have invested in her and her talent over the years. She is working to be a television and radio host, as well as an events and entertainment coordinator, but has another passion.
“My dreams surround supporting and uplifting local educators as well as advocating for autistic children,” Mills stated, adding that her ultimate goal is to gather more resources for autistic children, especially those from rural communities. Mills, who hails from Savannah Cross, said she has plans to develop her community’s infrastructure and aid youth development.
“I want to encourage more children to volunteer and to be more productive within the community. I have a vision to develop a children volunteer group within my community and I’ll be working on that in partnership with my local church (Savannah Cross Church of God of Prophecy) and community groups,” she shared.