Monique Samantha Clarke, a teacher at the Port Maria Primary School walked away as Miss St Mary Festival Queen 2010 at the parish coronation show held in Port Maria on Saturday.

Having copped two of four sectional prizes, Clarke had the entire audience inside the St Mary’s Anglican Church hall screaming “number seven”, her contestant number, before she was announced new queen.

A past student of the College of Agricultural Science and Education (CASE), Clarke emerged ahead of a field of seven contestants to take the titles of Most Congenial and Best Performer before being named as queen.

Second place went to another crowd favorite, 23 year old writer and producer, Susanie Reid who was also named the Most Culturally Aware. Second runner-up was taken by registered nurse Kerese Patterson, also 23.

Clarke’s campaign for queen-ship began as early as the talent segment where she had the audience in stitches as she portrayed a white-squalled cardboard seller in a comedic dramatic piece entitled Mi Hungry. Also excelling in the talent competition was Patterson who took patrons on a tour of the Museum of Jamaican Women.

In the interview section, Clarke told audience that if she was named queen, she intended to assist the JCDC in furthering its mandate of cultural preservation and lauded the organisation for its contribution to the parish of St Mary.

Clarke who wore the sash Miss Tacky Falls, said she never had imagined that she would enter such a competition. “I knew I had won when I heard everyone, including the other contestants saying my name,” Clarke said. “I am very happy and I intend to keep improving so that I can take the national title home to St Mary this year,” she added.

In addition to the opportunity to represent the parish of St Mary at the National Coronation in July, Clarke also walked away with $25,000 cash, a Claro cellular phone and a 21-inch flat screen television courtesy of Singer Jamaica Limited among other gifts.

The other contestants included Latoya Pollack, 21, who was named Most Improved, Joanne Walker, 25, Ruth Howard, 22 and Neslia Brown, 25.

Clarke will represent St Mary at the national coronation show, scheduled for July 17 at the National Indoor Centre in Kingston.