Genevieve Duval and Caiden Poleon
Genevieve Duval and Caiden Poleon have one more thing to be thankful for after winning their school’s Kwéyòl Pageant—a victory that came as no surprise as the two students stole the spotlight last week Friday at Bocage Secondary.
By the end of the last segment, it was clear that the two would walk away with the coveted Wéyòm Kwéyòl title and ultimately, they did just that.
The pageant was a fun-filled one, and though it was held on a small scale, the event is certainly worth talking about.
“Today was a jam-packed day, it was filled with activities. We started with assembly; we (also) had a live cook off (and it was by all accounts a success) and a Creole word game. We decided to end the day with a pageant,” Emmanuella Louis, teacher and member of the Jounen Kwéyòl committee told YO! in an interview.
According to her, “the pageant was aimed at giving the students exposure and trying to foster an appreciation for the Kwéyòl language and culture but in a modern (way). We recognize that culture is ever-evolving, and we wanted to (give) the students a chance to mix what they grew up with and what we grew up with—so a bit of the new and a bit of the old.”
Whilst some of the students were shy initially, the teacher noted that “it was amazing to see them be brave and come off and show their talent on stage.”
The contestants appeared in three segments: Introduction, Talent, and Interview. And though only a few students participated, the Wéyòm Kwéyòl pageant turned heads nonetheless. But it was Genevieve and Caiden who truly shined.
They were both confident and the latter certainly caught the attention of attendees in the talent segment where he perhaps was the strongest. He also shined in the first segment (the introduction) and received the full support of his peers.
Likewise, Genevieve seemed like a natural, and she caught the attention of the crowd instantly.
The students walked away with a handful of prizes and were in high spirits when the event ended.
