THE Miss Teen Bermuda Islands 2008 pageant crowned its eighth winner this past week and according to the pageant director, Terry Smith, this year's winner embodied the "it" factor. Possessing a natural talent, confidence and the ability to learn, Alyssa Rose won three titles, Miss Photogenic, Miss Congeniality and Best Personal Style in addition to taking home the coveted overall title. Miss Rose sat down with Mid-Ocean News reporter Lindsay Kelly and photographer Glenn Tucker to discover more about the pageant and her plans for her reign as Miss Teen Bermuda.

Q. How does it feel to be crowned Miss Teen Bermuda?

A. It feels amazing. It still feels untrue. I'm so proud of myself - I'm filled with so much delight and can't wait to get started and make a great role model for our island and just be the best Miss Teen Bermuda I can be.

Q. Have you competed in a pageant before?

A. No, I haven't. This is my first time.

Q. What prompted you to enter the pageant?

A. This year my mom said, "You are old enough and you're mature. This is a good year for you - you should go for it". And, I've always been really interested in pageantry and all the girlie things. I loved the idea. Going into it I underestimated (the time commitment) but it's a lot of work. It's not just a beauty pageant, you get a lot out of it.

Q. What types of things did you get out of participating in the pageant?

A. You learn poise, your speech improves, you gain self-esteem, pride and you make friends. You get to work with amazing people who you learn a lot from.

Q. Eight weeks was a big commitment - how did you handle the stress and such a busy schedule?

A. It was hard, it was definitely a struggle but in the end it was great, it was all worth it. I have no regrets. Every session we had, which was every day or every other day, we had to be on time or else we could lose points (contestants are closely monitored throughout the event where they could lose points for tardiness, behaviour, etc.), If you forgot something at home you had to call someone who is closest to you to go get it and bring it to you as quickly as possible. So it was hard but I managed - what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Q. Out of all the parts of the competition what was the hardest part of the pageant for you?

A. The part that I was most nervous about was the Question and Answer section because you have no idea what they are going to ask you. You never know. You just have to be prepared and think on your feet in front of a room full of people. I think that was definitely the hardest part but I think I got the questions right.

Q. Did you practise answering questions beforehand?

A. Yes, we never had the actual questions, but we had practises Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at the BIU and we would practice answering questions and practise walking for the pageant part of the competition to make sure we all knew exactly what to do.

Q. I heard that one of the final questions was that if there was one person - dead or alive - that you could be for one day who would that be and why? What did you answer?

A. I answered Martin Luther King. I said that because I feel that he is the reason that I can stand up here on stage with the rest of these other young ladies in the competition. He's the reason that I can live in this community that has such a mixed culture and he's the reason why I can walk down the street with whom I like. Because it was a two-way thing. (Without his accomplishments) I wouldn't be able to be with who I want to be with and they wouldn't be able to be with me. That's why that I would want, for one day, to feel his accomplishments. I want to have someone hear my voice (like people heard his) and that's why I entered this competition - for somebody to hear me.

Q. You won the Best Personal Style title - what was your outfit and how was it reflective of your style?

A. The Personal Style section actually gives us the chance to demonstrate who we are (as individuals). Otherwise, we have instruction dress and we have the creed dress (where contestants have dress guidelines) so this section gives us a chance to show who we are. I wore a sophisticated button-up work shirt with rolled-up sleeves to kind of funk it up a bit with a tuxedo top. Then I had these short white shorts, which showed my sophisticated, clean, simple style and then I had these bright red shoes to show my boldness and my loud personality. It was a great event and I managed to take home the trophy for Best Personal Style.

Q. Did you have to explain to the judges what your outfit demonstrated?

A. We had to type up a little paragraph about why we choose the outfit and then the emcee recited it as we modeled it. So we had to put our little flavour into the paragraph.

Q. You described yourself as having a loud personality - what do you mean when you say that?

A. Well, I'm very outgoing and friendly. I also won Miss Congeniality so I just love (interacting) with people. I'm a people person. I'm very dedicated to what I do, I'm determined and I think I'm very disciplined, which I think is going to help me along the way.

Q. Every contestant had to present a "platform" which is a cause, issue or theme that the contestants wish to promote during her reign should she win. What was your platform?

A. The platform I presented was about issues affecting our community. The two main issues that I focused on were road fatalities and litter. I offered suggestions on what could be done to reduce road fatalities and litter in our community but I also mentioned that we all have a personal responsibility and that laws can only do so much. I suggested things we can do (individually) not just what Government can do to address these problems.

One of the suggestions I presented that the Government could do would be to introduce the graduated driver licencing system. It's a system that is estimated to reduce fatal crashes by 38 per cent. It's a three-stage system and at each stage young drivers must demonstrate responsible driving behaviours before advancing to the next level. It's like getting rewarded for good driving and the reward is getting to move to the next step. The system has been introduced around the U.S. in a lot of places and it's been great. So I think bringing it to Bermuda would be good to do. Some of the things we can do is make sure you fasten your helmet and buckle your seatbelt and make sure your friends do it, too. Don't overtake another car unless it is necessary. And slow down because Bermuda is only 22 miles long, you have nowhere to go.

For the issue of litter, something that I suggested the Government could do is to introduce a bottle deposit law. When you purchase a bottle from a store, you would pay 10 cents extra, which can be redeemed upon returning the bottle, which would encourage recycling. What we can do is dispose of our trash properly, keep litter bags in our cars, separate our recyclables from our garbage to make it easier for our island (trash collectors).

Q. How did you come up with the bottle deposit idea?

A. Me and my dad were speaking about it and about my platform - putting the ideas together - and we were thinking of ways to recycle and thinking that in the States they recycle the tops of soda cans. So we were thinking that every time you purchase a bottle from the store, how about people paying just a little bit extra and bringing it back to the store and redeem the money? It would encourage people to continue returning the bottles and be rewarded for doing good deeds.

Q. These two particular issues - why are they so important to you?

A. I go to BHS (Bermuda High School for Girls) and our school has been working on becoming more environmentally friendly. We have a green hallway where there are tons of recycle bags and bins where we recycle paper, plastic and aluminum. So that really inspired me and with the global warming that's happening, it has really motivated me. And, I've noticed that throughout the island there is more and more trash and paper on the ground every day and I'm very proud of our island and I want to keep that pride. But I know in order to do that we need to make an effort to make a difference.

As for road fatalities, since the beginning of 2008 there have been 11 deaths and that number is increasing as the year goes on. Only eight months into this year and the number is already above ten so I figured that is a big issue that needs to be confronted and solved instead of just complained about.

Q. As Miss Teen Bermuda, you have the opportunity to travel to St. Kitts to participate in the 29th Annual Haynes Smith Miss Caribbean Talented Teen Pageant in December. Are you excited?

A. Yes, I can't wait. Alexa Lightbourne, last year's Miss Teen Bermuda said it was fabulous and that she had a great time. I'm looking forward to it this year. It should be even better since Mr. Smith and the committee know more about the competition (last year was their first year) and know how to approach it. So I think we are going to be looking at a good year.

Q. Is there a theme or legacy you want people to remember your reign by?

A. I definitely want them to know that I tried, that I worked hard and that I worked with youth, the Road Safety Council and the people in charge of protecting the environment. I want people to see that I'm actually trying to help our island. Not only am I proud of our island but I'm going to work to maintain that pride and be a part of Bermuda not just Miss Teen Bermuda.

Q. You mentioned that Miss Teen Bermuda is not just about participating in a beauty pageant. What do you mean by that?

A. The competition is very disciplined, you have to be at all the sessions on time and you cannot forget anything. You have to walk, talk and present yourself appropriately. You have to create an introduction about your parish, you have to recite a creed (an oath that participants make to themselves and Bermuda that the contestant will respectfully represent the island during their reign, should they win), you have to type up bios and constantly practise all the time. The Question and Answer section and the platform take a lot of work. Public speaking - if that is something you are good at - it's definitely a bonus in this competition.

Q. If you had one thing to say to other girls that are thinking of entering the pageant next year, what would that be?

A. I would say that don't go in expecting that it will be an easy time. It's hard work but it will pay off. You not only gain self-esteem, you make friends, you develop great speaking skills and you gain a lot of experience. I would recommend it to every single young girl in Bermuda.

Q. Beyond high school, what you do want to do?

A. I would like to go to FIT, the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and become an interior designer and come back to work in Bermuda.