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Newly crowned Miss St Ann Festival Queen Tavina Porter is determined to end her parish's 14-year wait for the national Festival Queen title. The hospitality professional claimed the title after a commanding performance that earned her five sectional awards, but for Porter, this is just the beginning.
With her eyes firmly set on the national title, which will be contested on August 1, the newly crowned queen has made a bold promise.
"The crown hasn't been home in 14 years, and you can bet that I'm coming with the poise, I'm coming with the confidence, and I'm coming with the all the way from the beautiful ‘Garden Parish’ of St Ann. Watch out!" she declared.
In 2012, St Ann’s Kemesha Kelly was the last representative from that parish to win the national competition.
Porter's commanding victory underscored her readiness for the national stage. A senior sales executive at Sandals Dunn's River Resort, she swept five sectional awards, earning recognition as Most Poised, Most Active in the Community, Most Popular on social media, Best Performance, and Most Congenial.
Porter’s success in the competition mirrors a professional journey marked by excellence and leadership. Among her achievements are being named Diamond Team Member of the Year at Sandals Resorts International from 2023 to 2025 and receiving the prestigious Butch Stewart Award for Excellence in November 2025.
For Porter, entering the Festival Queen Competition was never solely about winning a crown. Instead, she viewed the platform as an opportunity to celebrate Jamaican culture, inspire young people, and create meaningful change within her parish.
"I wanted to use the platform to celebrate our Jamaican culture, inspire young people, and serve as a voice for positive change. I believe true leadership is about uplifting others, and this journey allows me to make a meaningful impact while proudly representing the people and heritage of St Ann," she said.
Her vision is closely aligned to her community outreach project, The Youth Promise (TYP) Initiative, which seeks to empower young people through literacy, numeracy, digital literacy, and workplace readiness programmes. Through partnerships with schools, youth organisations, and community stakeholders, the initiative aims to equip participants with the skills and opportunities needed to thrive in an increasingly competitive world.
Porter believes the project can create a lasting impact by improving educational outcomes, strengthening digital competence, and preparing young people to pursue future career opportunities. Her victory also reflects the spirit of this year's competition theme, ‘The Jamaican Woman: Beauty Without Boundaries’.
"I believe beauty knows no boundaries when it is expressed through purpose, confidence, and the ability to uplift others," she said.
English (US) ·