Page 11 - aruba-today-20220723

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LOCAL Saturday 23 July 2022
Jeanique de Palm:

“Believe in yourself and never stop dreaming”

Miss Jeanique de Palm is a young tional, and I also won Best Cos-
woman with a successful career tume”, Jeanique told our reporter.
in beauty and entertainment. Cur- “In 2013, I participated in the con-
rently she has her own dance test for Reina Grandi for Carnaval
group, she organizes workshops of Aruba, representing the group
and seminars for the youth of Aru- Champagne, and I was first runner-
ba. She also represented Aruba in up as well.
the Reina Hispanoamericana pag-
eant in 2021. Two years ago, Jeanique started
her own dance group, Dazzling
When she was only three years old, Dancers, teaching young children
Jeanique took part in her first beau- between the ages of 4 and 6, and
ty pageant, Little Miss World Aruba. 7 to 12 years, how to develop their
This was the pageant that opened talents in the world of dance. And
the doors for Jeanique into the last year, during the pandemic,
world of entertainment. Jeanique Jeanique started with Beauty With-
danced in many dance groups in Me. “I wanted to do something
for many years. After a while, in different. And thinking about what I
2009 she decided to take part in could do, seeing as you always get
the Miss Teen Aruba International different camps for kids but almost
pageant, where she w as second nothing that is focused on teenag-
runner-up. She also won Miss Teen ers”, she explains. “I sat thinking,
Flamingo and Miss Teen Model In- what can I do with the teens, that
ternational. This paved the way for they will find appealing? And so I
her first international pageant. came with the theme of Beauty
Within Me.”
“In 2010, I had the opportunity to
represent Aruba abroad in the “The goal of Beauty Within Me is to
Teen Princess of the World pag- create young people who are sure
eant, which took place in the of themselves, and young people
Dominican Republic. This was my who stand up for themselves with-
first international pageant and out fear of facing the world. The
from among 15 participants, I was most important part is not only the
crowned Teen Princess Interna- project, but also what you want to

bring with the project. So what you right moment for them to talk to
want is that after the seminar the a psychologist, ask questions. The
kids can feel confident, that they psychologist also could explain to
can feel like they learned some- them what they need to be aware
thing that can help them in their of and what is the process that
personal development”, she add- they’re going through right now –
ed. because when you are young, you
go through different changes and
Jeanique says that in 2020 the a lot of times you’re not aware of it
seminar went really well, being her yourself”, she explains.
first time, and she had 30 people
participating, all between ages of For Jeanique, the greatest satis-
14 to 19 years. The participant re- faction is when she received com-
ceived talks about various topics ments from the parents of the kids
presented by young professionals who participate in her seminars,
from the community of Aruba. saying how for some of them, one
way or another, the seminar has
She explains that 2021 was also impacted positively in the life of
successful, where she brought for- the kids.
ward different themes like personal
branding, self-esteem boosting “That the parents see the change
and mental health – a very impor- in their children, for me that is the
tant subject for the community greatest satisfaction. Because at
currently. “I invited a psychologist the end of the day, the parent is
and kids who are going through the one who lives with the child
[mental health challenges] also and the one who knows the child.
came to tell their story.” In my case, it’s one week I spend
with them. But if the parent sees
“That is a topic that currently is very a change one or two days after
popular, and there are a lot of chil- partaking in various seminars, for
dren who don’t have the correct me that is more than satisfactory”,
information for it, so I think it’s the Jeanique said.