The Miss Singapore Pageant 2010 champions the preservation of Mother Nature.
Contributed By Jeremy Chua
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| CN PHOTO: Michael Chan |
All throughout the world, the green movement is picking up speed. With people becoming more cognizant of the need to protect Mother Earth, the spotlight of public attention is falling upon environmental causes such as reducing one’s carbon footprint, reusing, reducing and recycling as well as protecting wildlife.
Now in its 39th installment, the Miss Singapore Pageant 2010 has also adopted Mother Nature as its main beneficiary. No mere publicity gimmick, the organizer, ERM World Marketing, has tweaked the pageant structure to incorporate a green theme, and roped in environmentally-conscious sponsors InterContinental Singapore, herbal healthcare brand Himalayan Herbals, and slimming and beauty center Lumiere as part of the event.
The grand finals on Aug. 21 will see 23 ladies vying for the inaugural green queen title of Miss Singapore World 2010, among other awards.
City News shines the spotlight on a few of the contestants, who are among the pioneers of this exciting new direction Miss Singapore is taking.
A student at the University at Buffalo Bachelor of Sociology program, 22-year-old Louisa Althea Tay enjoys singing and dancing, and was part of her school’s cheerleading team for three years. She was also in the Chinese dance and rhythmic gymnastics program in her secondary school. “Joining this pageant has helped me greatly in my confidence. I am a rather shy person, but for the pageant, I had to face the media and the public. It was a big step.” For her, even the little things go a long way with being more environmentally-friendly. “Every time I go shopping, I will bring along my own bags,” she shares.
An aspiring teacher, Adrella Teoh is a fresh graduate from Nanyang Technological University, with a major in Sociology and a minor in Entrepreneurship. Now in her transition from being a student to a teacher-in-training at the National Institute of Education, this pageant is something for her to stretch and broaden her horizons. “I firmly believe that a pageant is not solely about looks; you have to possess personality and character as well. Being in Miss Singapore has developed my character and taught me sportsmanship and teamwork. This is something that I can pass on to my future charges.”
For Keong Hui Shan, who also took part in The New Paper’s New Face competition, her training in Early Childhood Education at Ngee Ann Polytechnic goes hand-in-hand with her love of spending time with children and her ambition of being a children’s church pastor. The willowy 18-year-old is a track and field athlete, specializing in the triple jump discipline. Thus, it was not surprising that she nabbed the Miss Fitness title. With an overcomer’s mentality, Keong, who once harbored a fear of heights, was able to conquer her inhibitions by taking a ride on the Singapore Flyer.
Celestine Tan is a 22-year-old currently finishing up her degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of London. Extremely passionate about making a difference in society, there is no denying that Tan walks the talk. “Recently, I did a runway show at the YMCA to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake. My next project, which will be carried out in September, will be giving out 700 trolleys of groceries to the needy elderly who are staying in one-room flats in Singapore,” she shares. In addition, amidst her busy schedule, she has also taken up workshops at the Institute of Mental Health to be better prepared to help youth-at-risk.
