PHILIPSBURG--Continuing its introduction of participants for its various pageants, the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) on Tuesday introduced the five contestants for the Teen Carnival Queen Pageant for Carnival 2012.

The Pageant will be held in Carnival Village on Wednesday, April 25. It will be combined with the Senior Carnival Queen Pageant on the same night. The SCDF will introduce the contestants for the Senior Carnival Pageant on Wednesday.

The Teen Pageant, like the Mature Pageant, has been absent from the Carnival calendar for a few years. The SCDF decided to add the event to its calendar again, after complaints that there was no pageant for girls between the ages of 13 to 16.

"And we are happy with the response. Attracting young ladies for any pageant is not always easy, since preparing for a pageant takes a lot out of the contestant and her parents. But we are very pleased that there was still great interest in the teen pageant and look forward to a wonderful show from the five contestants," President of the SCDF Stuart Johnson said.

All high school students, the teen contestants are Jermien Daal, Kendra Priest, Tivona Trotman, Erissa Cozier and D'Shnay York. The segments for the Teen Pageant are introduction, talent, Carnival costume and evening wear.

The contestants will also have to compete in the Speech and Cultural Wear competition on Saturday, April 14. The points gained at this competition will carry-over to their total score on the night of the pageant.

"We hope the general public and the private sector in particular will support all the participants of all our local shows. The SCDF would like to thank the contestants and their parents for signing up to be part of Carnival 2012," Johnson said.

The Teen Carnival Queen Pageant for Carnival 2012 is sponsored by United Telecommunication services (UTS) Chippie.