High school student Lenesha Francis is Miss Jamaica World Southern Region 2026

Seventeen-year-old Old Harbour High student Lenesha Francis, who wore the sash Lion’s Villa and Totally Delicious, was on Saturday night crowned the first-ever Miss Jamaica World Southern Region 2026. Nine contestants competed for the title at the grand coronation which took place at the Rooftop Chillinz Bar and Lounge in Old Harbour on Saturday night. Miss Delapenha’s Funeral Services Limited, Shonnoya Houston, finished in second place while Miss Karl Grant’s Auto Sales and Repairs, Ashanti Douglas, took third place.

The top three will now advance to the national Miss Jamaica World pageant. Sectional prize winners at Saturday night’s coronation were: Most Poise — Lenesha Francis; Best Personality — Fiona Bartlett, Rooftop Chillinz; Most Aware — Shonnoya Houston; Most Congenial — Fiona Bartlett; and People’s Choice— Khassidy Weir, StarFlex Bar and Fast Food Restaurant. Bartlett won the fast-track fitness challenge, while Houston won the top talent.

Francis was named winner in the top model fast track, while Shonnoya Houston won the beauty with a purpose title. The other contestants were Shanise Adolphus — Miss RAW Enterprise LLC; Dejanay May — Miss Dr Michael Samms; DeAnna Fraser — Miss Graceful Smiles Dental Ja; and Dejahnae Brown — Miss CADZ Printz and More. Alton Reid, organiser of the Miss Jamaica World Southern Region pageant, is pleased with the night’s turn of events.

“I really want to thank Rooftop Chillinz Bar and Lounge for being the official venue sponsor for this year’s event. It was an exciting event and the patrons enjoyed themselves,” Reid told Observer Online. In a post-pageant interview, Francis spoke about her journey in the competition.

“My journey has been one that I am forever grateful for. Entering the competition at seventeen, I’ll be honest, I felt a bit inferior because everyone else was older than me. But I was immediately embraced by amazing sisters who never made me feel less than.

They made me feel like I truly belonged. I also had incredible mentors like Natalia Baugh and T’Dane Gordon who guided me every step of the way,” she shared. “Through the constant training, the long days, even getting my makeup done every morning, I found joy in it all because I love pouring into myself.