Growing up, Tanya Kentish often wondered why her story looked different from everyone else’s.

Years ago, when financial hardship made it impossible for her biological mother to care for all of her children, she made the difficult decision to place the young Kentish in the care of another woman. At the time, it felt like loss. Years later, Kentish realised it was the beginning of a journey that would transform pain into purpose.

That journey came full circle on Saturday night when the 21-year-old communications and service operations manager was crowned Miss St James Festival Queen 2026. But for Kentish, the title represents far more than a personal achievement. It is an opportunity to inspire girls growing up in circumstances similar to her own to believe their beginnings do not define their future.