Miss Fil-Am Florida 2018: Beauty in Diversity at its Finest!
Miss Fil-Am Florida 2018: Beauty in Diversity at its Finest!
Report: Raymund Thom Golez | Managing Editor
Photos: Josh Bozarth, Lorna Smith, Miss Fil-Am FL FB Page
TAMPA, Florida – A celebration of beauty for the Filipino-American Community of Tampa Bay is what would best describe this year’s edition of Miss Fil-Am Florida 2018 Pageant. This highly-anticipated event showcase five equally gorgeous and stunning Filipino-American beauties representing the local hometowns of their respective kin in the Philippines. They are set to compete for the crown and title on August 25th at Hilton Hotel Tampa Downtown. The pageant is organized by the Filipino-American Social Club Inc. (FASC), one of the largest organized group of Filipino-Americans based in Tampa, Florida.
This year’s roster of candidates composed of academic achievers and young professionals. Representing Davao, Philippines is Sarah Edmondson, while Lexi Perry holds the sash of Negros Island, Philippines; Miss Manila Philippines is Nina Marie Trojillo, while Jamaica Beltran represent the Province of Pampanga, Philippines; on the other hand, Bridget Bryant proudly represent the Queen City of the South, Cebu, Philippines.
Eighteen-year old Sarah participated in a dual enrollment program, where she attended high school and college at the same time! She earned her Associate of Arts college diploma from Pasco-Hernando State College, before receiving her high school diploma, both with “high honors”.
Lexi is a career-oriented woman. She works as a Medical Assistant/Administrator while she studies for her real estate exam to become a realtor. Her goal is to become a full time realtor and create a successful brokerage firm in Tampa.
Twenty-six year old NINA holds two (2) Bachelor’s Degree under her belt. One in Sociology and another in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of South Florida. At the moment, she is pursuing a Masters Degree in Speech – Language Pathology. She currently works full time at the University of South Florida, in the Memory Disorders Clinic, as the Clinic Coordinator, and part time at Independent Living Inc. as a Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant.
After emigrating to the USA, 19-year old Jamaica attended Anclote High School in Pasco County where she finished it with high honors. She now works as a nursing assistant and is pursuing a nursing degree. She hopes to be able to use her nursing knowledge to help others here and in her homeland.
Twenty-year old BRIDGET is currently earning her Bachelor’s degree in Business Management at the University of Central Florida, along with being a part of UCF’s Equestrian Team. She has been showcasing with her horse “Calum” for almost 5 years, but she has been riding since the age of 3.
The winner will officially become the official Ambassadress of Goodwill of FASC and the Filipinos of Tampa Bay. She will directly get involved with the charity and humanitarian works of GAWAD KALINGA and CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL. She will also get the chance to fly to the Philippines to have a first-hand-once-in-a-lifetime experience in doing the charity works locally. The candidates have undergone rigid pageant coaching and training on pasarela, poise, posture, and personality development under the tutelage of Raymund Golez.
The Filipino American Social Club (FASC) has been a charity and non-profit organization for over a decade already. It is an exemplary organization in the Filipino-American community, having contributed time, effort, money and food to a plethora of worthy charities and causes.
