Cebuana is 1st RU at Kids Star Int’l

Nikolah Jayne Lavadia, a 12-year-old from Naga City, Cebu, finished first runner-up at Kids Star International 2023’s 11 to 13-year-old category during the December 3 finals in Thailand.

“Everything happens for a reason, but I am pretty sure that the Philippines is proud of me,” Lavadia told The FREEMAN when asked how she felt about her placement in the pageant.

This is the the sixth grader’s second beauty tilt after joining Rampa

Cebu Tourism last year where she placed second runner-up.

Based in Thailand, the Kids Star International competition has young candidates split into four categories: Group A for children aged four to six years old, B for seven to ten years old, C for tweens 11 to 13, and D for 14 to 16-year-olds.

Last year, Veanah Audrie Flores of Minglanilla, Cebu represented the Philippines in the same category at Kids Star International and placed second runner-up.

Lavadia was also named Best in National Costume for her pearl-laden ensemble by designer Bjay Choche Menguito. “The heavy weight of it was quite challenging, but despite that, I wanted to showcase Filipino craftsmanship to the judges and the world,” Lavadia said.

One of the preliminary activities that Lavadia participated in was a Sports Day competition in Bangkok. Photos of her kickboxing and doing Muay Thai are seen on her Facebook page. “I realized that I want to enroll in a kickboxing class,” she said of the experience.

Her favorite part of the competition was meeting her fellow candidates and becoming fast friends with them.

“During our tours, we went to a floating market and that is where everything started. I became friends with each of the delegates,” she added, citing the girls from Myanmar, Taiwan, and Zambia as those she particularly got close with.

“In our free time, we would hang out at the pool area and enjoy the little moments together. When it was time for us to bid goodbye, it was heartbreaking that even in the short time we spent together, we got to know each other so well.”

Lavadia and her team will return to Cebu on December 8 since they are still exploring the sights of Thailand as a reward for themselves after all the hard work they did for Kids Star International 2023.