Claire-Lee DeCouto won this year's Hal Jackson Talented Teen Scholarship Competition and on winning, the Berkeley Institute student said: "It feels great!"

Miss DeCouto has now secured her place in the 40th Anniversary Hal Jackson Talented Teens International Scholarship Competition, which is set to take place on the Island on July 23 and 24.

Aside from preparing to win the Hal Jackson competition, she is also a TROIKA production company performer; she recently represented Bermuda in the Rotary International Speech Contest in New York; and also completed the Government's mentoring programme Mirrors where she was awarded the 'Self Expression Award'.

Miss DeCouto entered the Hal Jackson's Talented Teen Scholarship Competition, because she saw it as a way of helping her to accomplish her goal, which is to attend the American Music and Drama Academy.

During the competition she performed Bill Withers' song 'Lean on Me'. So was she surprised when she was selected as this year's winner? The 17-year-old said: "Yeah, somewhat, but I still had that doubt."

Some of the other winners were Angelé Smith, who was given the Miss Harmony title, the Leadership Award went to D'Chelle Allen, Second Runner Up Yahnick Barclay, and Miss Congeniality and First Runner Up went to Ariäna Smith.When they said she was the overall winner, she said: "I was shocked, I cried. "Ariäna and Yahnick hugged me, and the others congratulated me."

She won a $2,000 scholarship, but her aim is to win the overall scholarship next month so that she can go to the college of her choosing. Otherwise, she is applying for scholarships and is aiming to raise sufficient to go to university in the autumn.

Next month's international competition will feature contestants from the US, the Caribbean, Africa, and Canada.

Miss DeCouto said: "I'm looking forward to the challenge. It is a variety of young talent, so it is going to be a competition!"

The 40th Anniversary Hal Jackson Talented Teens International Scholarship Competition will take place at the Fairmont Southampton Princess, and the finals will be held at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts.

Both evenings start at 7 p.m. and end at 10 p.m.

For tickets visit www.bdatix.bm.