The outgoing winner of the Little Miss Paradise competition wants people to know she's not just a pretty face.

She's also a math whiz and a future cricket champion (maybe).

Sinae Chalez Smith, 12, won the competition arranged by the Somerset Community Centre in 2007.

Her two-year reign is now over and she's ready to hand her tiara and trophy over to another promising pre-teen on Thursday.

Sinae carried out her duties as Little Miss Paradise alongside all her other activities including studying math with Johns Hopkins University's Centre for Talented Youth (CTY) which has a centre in Bermuda.

She has also taken various forms of dance with the United Dance Productions for several years, and performed with dance groups Elegant Angels and St. George's Original Dancerettes.

She talked with The Royal Gazette about the pageant.

"Before the pageant you are given 24 questions to study," she said. "On the night, the judges ask you three questions. One is a random question. The others are about Bermuda's history, sports, culture or flora and fauna."

"Then if you get into the top three, they ask you why you would like to be Miss Paradise."

Unfortunately, Sinae got stuck on her first question.

"They asked me which politician I would like to shadow," she said. "I didn't know what they meant. But the audience started cheering, and I was given another question."

Sinae, a student at Warwick Academy, would like to be an actuary when she grows up.

She is the daughter of Sinclair and Adrene Smith. "I like math and numbers," she said. "My father is also good at math." She has attended several CTY math summer camps abroad.

"She has definitely matured since being on the programme," said Mrs. Smith. "It has been a lot of work."

Instructors at the Somerset Community Centre first suggested Sinae take part in the Little Miss Paradise Pageant.

Before the night of the competition, there are several weeks of training for the girls between eight and 10-years-old.

They learned about Bermuda, took field trips, and took lessons in hygiene, etiquette, posture, dance and public speaking, among other things.

Although, the Little Miss Paradise Pageant is a "beauty contest" there were several categories including Miss Congeniality, chosen by the parents, and Miss Photogenic, chosen by the Mall Studios where the girls took part in a photo shoot.

There is also a first and second runner-up meaning that all the girls win something.

Sinae won the overall pageant partly because of her talent for dance.

"She thrilled the audience with her stage presence and confidence while performing the dance routine during the talent portion of the pageant," said pageant organiser Diana DeRoza said.

Sinae performed liturgical and hip-hop dance routines.

As the winner of the pageant, Sinae helped the charity, Remembering Our Loved Ones (ROLO).

"They had a gathering at Berkeley Institute and I read a poem," she said.

She also worked with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, took part in parades, and helped out at charity tag days and fundraisers, among many other things.

Mrs. DeRoza said the winner kept her crown for two years, because she got more out of it that way.

"We use to do it every year," she said. "We found that they did not get the growth, working with a charity. We decided it would be for a two year period.

"Every girl that competes has to pick a charity. If the individual is successful, we will work with the charity within the two year period."

The programme has been going on since 1995.

"Originally, there was two sections, a junior section and an older section," said Mrs. DeRoza, "but we found it was easier on our part to combine the ages, because there are so many activities they take part in over their two year reign.

"We also lowered the age range, because we find that when you have teenagers, you have to monitor them closely."

The aim of the Little Miss Paradise Pageant was to build character. "It also helps them to realise that there are other individuals in the world," she said. "They learn to give and assist other people.

"Both the parents and children get to learn about the different charities that are out there."

This year's competitors and charities are Mezhyiah Lambert, eight, for Lefroy House, Akilah Acka, 10, for Bermuda Cancer & Health, Kinra Hayward, eight, for the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Zahra Wilson for Bermuda Cancer & Health, Zye' Rayner for the Sunshine League .

The pageant is on August 13 at 6.30 p.m. at the Fairmont Southampton Amphitheatre.

Tickets are $25 and available at Music World, Family Affair Boutique, Clarabow's Boutique, from the contestants, at the Sandys Community Centre or at the door. Telephone Diana DeRoza at 234-3758 or email dmderoza@gov.bm for more information.