Miss Fil-Am Florida 2018
Back in May I was contacted about shooting the official photos for the Miss Fil-Am Florida beauty pageant. I jumped at the chance, as would almost any photographer. What I wasn’t expecting was to form a mini bond with the girls. I ended up rooting for each one of them as they took the steps to, hopefully, be crowned Miss Fil-Am Fl 2018. Thankfully I was then contacted to shoot the actual pageant. It is nice to be able to finish what you started and to be there in person to cheer for the pageant winner and empathize with the girls that came up short. It was such a rewarding experience and I hope that I am the official photographer next year.
This year’s roster of candidates was 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.
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.
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.
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.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”. 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. 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.
In the end it was Bridgett Bryant that was chosen to represent the Filipino-American Social Club as this years Miss Fil-Am Fl.
