At a noontime ceremony in Fort Frederik Friday, Caprisha Richards was crowned 2009 Hal Jackson’s Virgin Islands Talented Teen and A’Jada Burke the 2009 Miss America’s Virgin Islands Outstanding Teen.
The 16-year-old Burke is a senior at St. Croix Central High and Richards, 14, is a sophomore at Antilles School. Later this month, Richards will travel to New York City to represent the U.S. Virgin Islands at the Hal Jackson Talented Teen International finals, and Burke will be going to Orlando, Fla. to compete in the Miss America Outstanding Teen finals in August. Both contests award scholarships to teenage female contestants, with many smaller scholarships for runners-up and winners of individual competitions, with more valuable scholarships going to the grand-prize winners.
Reigning V.I. Hal Jackson Talented Teen Elle Nielsen performed an original modern dance routine. Later she crowned Richards as her successor. The reigning Hal Jackson Talented Teen International, Amirah Garwood, flew in for the day from her home in St. Louis, Mo. and crowned Burke.
Merdean Fielding-Gales, co-host of the Bobby Jones Gospel Show on BET network, gave an inspirational talk on the benefit of competing, of throwing one’s hat into the ring.
"Knowing that only one person will wear the crown, if that isn’t you, that doesn’t mean you are not the winner," she said. Traveling, having new experiences, meeting people — and winning scholarships along the way– are prizes available to everyone who competes, regardless of the final winner, she said.
"If good is on the inside, it will come out," she said. "When two jobs are available and 500 apply for it, you don’t stop and say there is no point, do you? No, you step in and try because it might be you who wins."
Richards said she was excited about the chance to travel and meet people that the competition afforded her.
"I’m looking forward to seeing any Broadway show they plan for us, and meeting the other girls," she said.
This is the 37th year for Hal Jackson’s Talented Teen in the Virgins Islands and 39th year for the entire competition, which radio and TV personality Hal Jackson began in 1971 in Atlanta, Ga. Jackson, now 93, is still going strong.
The Miss America’s Outstanding Teen competition is a new pageant under the Miss America umbrella and awarded its first grand prize winner in 2005. Claire Roker, director of Talent Unlimited, oversaw the local selection process and Friday’s crowning ceremonies in coordination with the Hal Jackson Talented Teen organization.
