Eight-Year-Old Breanna Gayle Crowned First-Ever Mini Miss St. Thomas Heritage Queen

Poised, confident, and purpose-filled—eight-year-old Breanna Gayle embodies all this and more as she makes history as the first-ever Mini Miss St. Thomas Heritage Queen.

Crowned in June, Breanna is now preparing to represent the parish on the national stage in December, as she competes for the title of Mini Miss Jamaica Heritage Queen 2025.

The articulate Grade Three student of Yallahs Primary School describes winning the parish title as “an awesome feeling”, and shares that she has been enjoying a variety of exciting trips since her coronation.

“I got to visit many places, such as the Mini Miss St. Ann and Mini Miss St. Catherine competitions. I also attended the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen 2025 coronation, and I went to the Grand Gala for the first time,” she tells JIS News.

Breanna, who aspires to be a medical doctor or police officer, says these experiences have enabled her to meet new and interesting people while also learning about her culture.

She shares that her decision to enter the Mini Miss Heritage Queen Competition was driven by a desire to inspire other young girls and help heighten awareness about Jamaica’s rich cultural heritage.

Breanna distinguished herself in the St. Thomas leg of the competition by securing three additional titles: Most Active in the Community, Most Culturally Aware, and Best Talent.

Brimming with confidence, she tells JIS News that, “I am positive I will win [the national title]”, adding “what makes me stand out is my beautiful skin—it makes me feel proud.”

Recalling her award-winning talent piece, Breanna proudly shares, “It was an experimental dub named ‘Yellow Tape’, by Camille McNeil—my most beautiful and treasured mother.”

Ms. McNeil, who works in the local tourism industry, tells JIS News that Breanna’s confident and expressive nature has been evident since infancy.

“I always engaged her in conversations and I realised that, for her age, she has shown a level of maturity and she has always been exposed to the stage in terms of exhibiting her talents. She has always been a great model student; she learns quickly and adapts to her environment,” she says.

At the time of entering the Mini Miss St. Thomas competition, Breanna was already involved in several school activities including the Spelling Bee and the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) speech competition.

“I consulted with her and encouraged her to think about it,” Ms. McNeil shares, noting that the competition involved an intensive six-week training programme.

During that time, Breanna was exposed to walk and poise techniques, Jamaican culture and heritage, interview preparation, and talent development.

The mother-daughter duo made the journey from Yallahs to Morant Bay for each training session, persevering through the six-week programme with tireless commitment.

On the night of the competition, Ms. McNeil says she knew Breanna had secured the crown the moment her name was called for three sectional prizes.

“When her name was announced as the winner, I was just elated,” she tells JIS News.

Reflecting on the piece that earned her daughter the Best Talent award, Ms. McNeil shares, “I love to write poetry. I was writing this piece and when the competition came around, I thought it would be a fitting one—particularly as it spoke about what some children are facing in terms of abuse. I thought she would execute it very well and, in my estimation, she did.”

As Breanna sets her sights on the national stage in December, her mother remains optimistic that her chances of winning are “very high.”

“She is very talented, charismatic and knowledgeable about the Jamaican culture, and that is what is most important. She will definitely be a standout… so please look out for her,” Ms. McNeil declares.

Parish Coordinator for the Mini Miss St. Thomas Heritage Queen competition, Stephena Edwards, who is Miss St. Thomas Festival Queen 2024, explains that the initiative is designed to preserve and promote Jamaican heritage, culture, and identity among the nation’s youth.

Ms. McNeil, who shares these sentiments, adds that, “It is important for a competition of this magnitude to be exposed to our young girls.”

“They are able to be role models for others and, not only that, it also equips them for the future; and I must say that our culture is in good hands,” she says.