14 hours ago
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It was an unforgettable evening of elegance and cultural pride at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre last Saturday as 12 exceptional young women stood, each bearing their dreams, their values, and their voices. But, when the final announcement rang out, it was Brithney Clarke who was crowned Miss Kingston and St. Andrew Festival Queen 2025.
A television presenter and communications practitioner, and sponsored by the Credit Unions of Jamaica, Clarke wowed both the judges and audience with her eloquence, poise, and impassioned community vision. She didn’t just win the crown, she swept four sectional awards: Most Active in the Community, Most Congenial, Most Poised, and Most Culturally Aware.
“When I was standing backstage, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace,” Clarke shared moments after her win. “I knew I had put in the work; I had been diligent in my training, and now, I’m just grateful and ready to serve.”
Clarke described her preparation for the coronation as intense and transformative. “It was like a pageant boot camp,” she laughed. “Our trainers were phenomenal, they pushed us beyond our limits and helped us grow into women ready to lead. Kingston and St Andrew is in good hands.”
The night also highlighted the remarkable potential of the other contestants. Johnique Francis, Miss P.T.G. Electrical & Building Solutions, was named first runner-up and also received the sectional award for Most Popular on Social Media. Rasheeda Murphy, Miss Amber Ontime Taxi Service, was second runner-up.
De’Neille Olivia Grant (Miss FMA Custom Brokers) and Britthney Watts (Miss This Is Really Great Yogurt) rounded out the top five. Jennelle Jones (Miss Clear Sound) was recognised for Best Performance.
Beyond the crown and title, the new queen’s mission is clear. Her project, ‘Read, Speak, Lead’, is a youth empowerment initiative focused on literacy and public speaking. Through it, she plans to visit schools, host workshops, and create safe, empowering spaces for young Jamaicans to find and use their voices.
“My project Read, Speak, Lead, really arose from two deeply personal observations. The first one being the growing concern around Jamaica’s literacy rate, especially in underserved communities. And, we’ve seen where too many children are struggling to read confidently, to express themselves, and really to engage within the classroom,” Clarke said, adding, “The second observation being my own experience as someone who learned to read very early, fell in love with reading and benefitted from public speaking and literacy-focused opportunities... . It’s personal because I know that reading helps to build knowledge, it helps us to understand how to speak confidently, and that level of confidence and literacy can open doors, and even to help to shape our future leaders.”
English (US) ·