The beautiful Evanjelin was crowned Miss Teen Great Britain in October 2017!
Evanjelin took part in the Miss Teen GB competitions three times before winning the crown!
What made you want to enter the Miss Teen Great Britain competition?
As it was my third year competing in the Miss Teen Great Britain competition, I wanted to set an example to younger girls on how you should never give up on your dreams. Participating in the Miss Teen Great Britain competition is by far one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, which is why I decided to enter. You gain more experience, meet amazing people from different cities, get to share similar aspirations and goals and most importantly I learned more about who I was.
What did your family and friends say when you told them you had entered?
My family has always been supportive of my decisions and when I told them I was going; they were over the moon excited and prepared to support me throughout the whole journey.
What did you do to prepare for the final?
I focused on charity work, went to various events and organisations, which allowed me to promote myself as Miss Teen Midlands. Through this, I raised more awareness about the Miss Teen Great Britain organisation and its principles. Besides that, I had also been preparing my fashion wear for the finals, I had remembered that I bought some door curtains from the markets in Greece, so I thought why not turn it into a belt? And it just worked with the whole outfit.
What was your favourite part of the grand final weekend? (besides winning the crown)
Firstly, one of my favourite parts of the grand final weekend must be cheering on for the junior teen finalists, because I know what it feels like to be in their shoes and I understand how important it is to be supportive of each other, every step of the way through this journey. Also, it reminded me of how special time in the grand finals is, as the whole weekend passes by in a second. But no matter how fast it goes by, it’s a memorable experience, that will last with you forever.
Secondly, I loved meeting all the grand finalists at the beauty queen challenge day, as it was incredible meeting all these beautiful and empowering girls. I was so grateful to have the chance to speak to them and get to know what was unique about each one of them, which was special for me. Moreover, talking about their aspirations inspired me.
Overall, meeting the girls, watching and helping girls from the junior finals with their competition and all the events from the weekend itself have made it one of the most magical experiences of my life and I’m eternally grateful for it.
How did your friends and family react when you won?
They were beyond happy, overwhelmed, and overjoyed for me and most importantly they were immensely proud of where I started from to where I got to and that one of my biggest dreams had come true. In addition, the whole of Sri Lanka heard and publicised the news of my accomplishment, which lead to me being invited to numerous ceremonies and interviews.
Who is your role model?
I have had many role models growing but by far the most important one must be my mum. She is one of the most, strongest, loving and inspirational people in my life and she has always been there for me and supported my dreams. I remember once when I was about 4 years old and I had attended a meeting where she was awarded by the queen and prime minister for her role as a chairman and community development worker. Moreover, she was constantly involved in charity work, which motivated me to do it as well.
What would be your dream job?
I started off wanting to be an eye surgeon because of my grandmother, however, after going to Greece, I fell in love with architecture, especially the interior design and outdoor landscapes. Moreover, I loved the mesmerising scenery of the churches, the breath-taking view from Mount Lycabettus and just the beautiful scenery of Greece itself. This has inspired me to become an interior designer, as I have always been creatively driven, ever since from a young age and I have always loved incorporating my fashion into my designs.
What is your favourite TV programme\film?
I have grown up watching Disney, DreamWorks and Pixar movies with my brothers ever since I can remember. By far, Shrek 2 is one of my all-time favourite movies, as it has a great life lesson about always being true to yourself, loving yourself for who you are, no matter what you look like and showing the wrongfulness of judging someone by their appearance alone. At a young age, this opened my eyes and has stuck with me ever since.
Do you have any plans for your year as a Miss Teen Great Britain queen?
I want to use my title to help as many charities and organisations as I can. Especially raise awareness about the platforms I focus on, such as bullying and campaigning for Alzheimer’s Research UK. Furthermore, I am planning on starting a YouTube channel soon to share my pageant experience, as a way for people to get to know me better and hopefully inspire people, whether it comes to participating in Miss Teen Great Britain or just going out and reaching for their dreams.
When you aren’t busy being a beauty queen, what do you do in your free time? Do you have any hobbies?
I have various hobbies. Firstly, I am very focused on living a healthy lifestyle, when it comes to eating healthy food or exercising. Every morning I do a yoga routine, which wakes me up and gets me in a positive mood every morning. Also, I love making and drinking various smoothies, one of my favourites is the mango smoothie.
Secondly, growing up with two older brothers has affected my life, as I was constantly surrounded by sports. Some of my favourites are basketball, cricket, football, tennis and badminton. I was very fortunate to play for Birmingham’s under 18 basketball team, which was amazing, as I love being part of the team and being active.
Lastly, I am in love with being creative, from drawing to painting to photography to fashion. I believe that if you can free yourself from negative thoughts that the mind creates, that creativity can open endless doors for you in life and you can express yourself however you feel like. Most importantly, I love how free you can be with creativity and it’s something you’re doing for yourself and nobody else.
What advice would you give to girls who want to enter the Miss Teen Great Britain competition?
Just do it! The world is full of possibilities and opportunities and competing in the Miss Teen Great Britain is a once in a lifetime experience. I met so many ambitious, determined and inspiring girls who showed me that I was not alone in this journey and that we were together in this like family. Then again, if you love it just as much as I do, you can come back again the next year, because it is truly a remarkable experience and a chance to make lifelong friends.
Describe your Miss Teen Great Britain experience in three words?
Magical, Unbelievable and Extraordinary.
Want to be one of our Miss Teen GB queens? Get your entry in now for the 2018 competitions here!
Photography – Paul Carroll, Monsignorphotographic
