Lenesha Francis of Old Harbour crowned the first ever Miss Jamaica World Southern

Francis was recently able to show off her talent and tenacity by entering the Miss Jamaica World Southern competition, the very first of its kind, where, on Saturday, September 5, 2026, she emerged as the winner to huge cheers and support from her family, who were thrilled to watch her step onto a big stage and just let her passion, purpose and personality shine through.

The experience, Lenesha shared, was one that she is extremely grateful for. As the youngest contestant, the learning curve was one that she was determined to master and being a natural-born fashionista, she took to the various aspects of it, like duck to water. 

“Being 17, I knew that a lot of teenagers wouldn't be doing something like this with their summer, so I tried to pull as many benefits from it as I possibly could,” she said in an exclusive interview with Old Harbour News. “And I did get a lot of benefits because we were able to train in speech, along with having makeup classes plus walk training. We had walk trainings almost every day, and I believe that really poured into me, so the process shaped and sharpened me.” 

“Not only that,” Francis added, “but I got to meet so many different people plus built a meaningful camaraderie with my fellow contestants, as there was such an amazing sisterhood. Overall, my experience was overwhelmingly positive and nurturing.”

All of it would not have been possible without the assistance of both her mother and sister, however. “They truly supported me throughout the entire process, like the many times my sister had to drop me off at the different venues that I needed to be at for rehearsals. Initially, I entered the competition because growing up, I've always loved pageantry. I would always watch Festival Queen, Miss Universe, Miss World, every pageant you could name because I found it fascinating. And I made a promise to myself when I was younger that I would represent Jamaica on an international stage. And so when I finally turned 17, I realised that I could enter because I'm actually at the age now where I can go ahead and fulfil that long-held dream,” she said.

An upper sixth form student at Old Harbour High School, Francis is currently pursuing her CAPE subjects of sociology, law and Caribbean Studies. The newly crowned queen shared that most of her friends at school and the wider school community were unaware of her journey as it took place over the lengthy summer holidays. “Considering that it was done in the summer, not a lot of them knew about it until I went back to school. So going back to school on Monday morning, the principal, he was really happy and congratulated me along with some teachers and students who had viewed my Instagram,” she said.

Growing up in Belmont Park in Old Harbour with her parents and sister, she was introduced early in life to the value of working hard for whatever it is she wanted. Interestingly, her mother, Maria is a pastor who allows her to express herself within the confines of things that were positive and enriching, breaking the stereotypical mould that most ministers of religion generally have about things regarded by most as ‘worldly’, such as a beauty pageant. With such fervent support behind her, Francis said: “My mom is my rock and the foundation that supports my endeavours as she allows me to not only dream, but think for myself and then make informed decisions.

“I believe my mother motivates me a lot because she's always pushing me to do something once it's positive, whether it's through dance, creative expression, or pageantry itself. She is also seeking ways for me to push myself and put myself out there. She's always supporting me, and I always look at that as a way to keep going because even at the competition, I felt sometimes as if I lost my confidence. But whenever I see my mother cheering me on, it gives me that confidence back.”

With that kind of familial support, Lenesha hope to, in the future, become a criminal lawyer. “I see myself in five years finishing a law degree at the University of the West Indies. I'm someone who likes to model and walk, so I also see myself becoming a walk coach in pageantry,” she shared. “Aside from that, I'm very passionate about advocating for free dance education in my community, so I would like to expand that in my area and then export it to other communities of Jamaica. I love to dance, and I love to teach dance. I also love to model and take nature walks” 

Francis added that she would definitely recommend the contest to other young girls, as the potential for growth that they can achieve, makes it very worthwhile. With this first accolade in pageantry to her name, Francis joins a growing list of beauty queens to emerge out of Old Harbour, chief among them Shanique Singh, Miss Jamaica World 2022; Kaya Smith, Miss Intercontinental Jamaica 2019; and Stacy Ann Nelson, Miss St Catherine Festival Queen 2018. 

“I really would encourage others because it has so much value. It really helps you to find your individual purpose,’ she tells Old Harbour News. “I believe that's something that every young girl should be able to find. Now that I’m the Southern winner, the very first one, might I add, I will be competing in the national Miss Jamaica World pageant later on in the year, and there I hope to once again, have a positive and lasting impact.”

The Miss Jamaica World Southern covers the parishes of St Catherine, Clarendon and Manchester. The top-three finishers advance to the Miss Jamaica World finals to be held at a later date.