Twenty-two-year-old Renita Minors was crowned Miss Bermuda Islands on Sunday night in front of more than 300 people, including most of her friends and family.

Ms Minors, who walked away with $5,000 cash prize and numerous gift vouchers, will compete in the Miss World contest in Sun City, South Africa in November.

But in the meantime, she leaves for Delaware State University today to begin work on a Masters degree in education. "The contest was very exciting I really enjoyed meeting all the girls and getting to know everyone. We had a lot of fun but it was also hard work,'' said Ms Minors.

"I had had the flu and I was going to practice and trying to get over it at the same time but I was very determined to get better.'' Ms Minors added that she thought Miss Warwick, Zoey Roberts, who was first runner up, was going to win. "I did not expect that they would call me as the winner. I was very excited.'' Ms Minors said that during her year as Miss Bermuda Islands she intends to express to Bermuda's youth, especially high school students, the importance of furthering their education.

"Students have to go as far as they can because in today's society you need much more than a Bachelors degree. It is a very competitive world so you would have to be the best that you can be at all times.'' She added that though she will be away in school she will be returning to Bermuda a week before she is due to be in South Africa for the Miss World Pageant.

"I will also try and return for holidays and when they needed me to return home I would return home. I entered the pageant because it was always a childhood dream for me and I had a lot of encouragement from my family and friends everyone had faith that I would shine through,'' Ms Minors said. "I really didn't go in to contest to win it, it was just something that I wanted to do.'' Miss Minors added she would like to visit schools and talk to the students, encouraging them to further their education or "even to talk to them about the new education system because I don't think anyone has ever asked them about their feelings on it. It has just been set up.'' Despite the fact that all her family was there to witness the big event, the one person missing was Ms Minors' American boyfriend.

When her family asked if there was anything she wanted after the show Ms Minors replied: "All I need is a phone so I can call my boyfriend and tell him what happened.'' MODEL BEAUTIES -- Miss Bermuda Island's contest winner Ms Renita Minors (on left) is flanked by supermodel Ms Beverly Johnson, who was a celebrity judge in Sunday night's beauty pageant.