by Curlan Campbell
- Alves won 6 out of 12 judging categories
- First contestant from Carriacou and Petite Martinique to win national beauty pageant
- Will use Beauty with a Purpose initiative to advocate for ending violence against women and girls
Sashelle Alves, crowned Miss Carriacou and Petite Martinique 2024 in the National Queen Pageant, has single-handedly brought light and inspiration to the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique, which are still recovering from Hurricane Beryl’s aftermath.
Alves, a 20-year-old resident of Windward and former student of Bishops College in Carriacou, aspires to study finance, real estate, and marketing. She made history as the first contestant from Carriacou and Petite Martinique to win the national beauty pageant when she secured multiple titles, winning 6 out of the 12 judging categories, including People’s Choice, Best Pre-Interview, Best Evening Wear, Best in Evening Wear, Best Interview, and the pre-judged Beauty with a Purpose Initiative.
Alves received support from her chaperone Nadina Williams, as well as a strong family network, including her parents, Deny Alves and Shadina McLawrence, siblings, and grandmother. “We have just created history,” she said. “This brings some joy and some hope. Right now, Carriacou is in a state of nothingness, and I’m glad that I’m the person to bring that light to them, to help them achieve greater things, to be the inspiration they need to know that this is not the end. They can follow their dreams as well and achieve anything despite adversities.” She said, “I want to continue my Beauty with a Purpose initiative going on to advocate for ending violence against women and girls. I also want to shine a light on the relief efforts of Carriacou and Petite Martinique because we’ve been doing so well. And I just think that we needed that type of attention.” She also aims to use her platform to represent Grenada regionally and internationally.
Kenya Alexander, Miss St Andrew, placed 1st Runner Up, a dream come true for her, as she had always wanted to represent her parish. She was thrilled with the opportunity to be in the top 3. Alexander’s elaborate Jab Jab-inspired costume was awarded prizes for Best Costume and Best in Costume. She said, “I was looking forward to the costume segment, as I am a lover of Jab Jab. I left everything on the stage and enjoyed myself, so being awarded best costume and best in costume was heartwarming for me.” She is grateful to her team for their tireless work in preparing her for the competition and feels the experience has contributed to her personal growth. As for her future plans, she intends to use her newfound fame to inspire young girls to seize every opportunity and build their self-confidence, and she hopes to establish a studio where she can teach young girls to model and continue her initiative, Fit Path, to advocate for voiceless athletes.
Heidi Charles, Miss St David, won Best Swimwear and Best in Swimwear and the title of Miss Congeniality. As the 2nd runner-up, Charles is thankful for the opportunity to represent her parish and for the strong connections she formed with her fellow contestants throughout the months of hard work. Her rendition of a calypso entitled “50 reasons to smile” was an ode to Grenada’s 50th Anniversary of Independence. “I will just continue being myself, continuing my calypso journey. Also, I want to continue my platform for youth in Calypso. I’ve seen the level of how the young people are presenting themselves at the carnival frolic, and I just want to continue to ensure that this rich tradition continues. That’s my aim: to just continue my platform and be a respectful, beautiful, and poised young lady in society. Although I didn’t win, I consider myself a winner, knowing that I went through all this and all the time and sacrifices I had to make, and just executing myself that I, as a young lady, can be looked up to,” she said.
Best Performed Talent award went to Abeni Matthew, Miss St John, who captivated the audience with her incredible saxophone performance of Grenada’s 50th-anniversary anthem “Up From Here.” Quickly transitioning to playing the steelpan effortlessly, her remarkable talent and skill left a lasting impression on everyone present. Matthew expressed her wish to continue nurturing youth in calypso.
Abigail Jeffrey, Miss St George, who won the title of Miss Photogenic, had the crowd in laughter with her ingenious spoken word performance, referencing each of Grenada’s prime ministers over the past 50 years.
Alorna Felix, Miss St Mark and Angel Franklyn, Miss St Patrick were the other 2 contestants.
