Sara Lawrence
Encyclopedia
Sara Lawrence was the representative for Jamaica
in the Miss World 2006
beauty pageant. In March 2007, she relinquished the Miss Jamaica World title upon announcing her pregnancy, becoming the first winner in the Jamaican contest's 23-year-history to do so.
Lawrence was born in Kingston, Jamaica
. She graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia
, where she majored in biology with an emphasis on pre-medicine
; according to her contestant biography, her career ambition is to become a doctor specializing in obstetrics
and gynaecology
.
After winning the Jamaican title in August 2006, Lawrence placed in the first six at the Miss World competition held in Warsaw, Poland
, where she was also named Miss World Caribbean
.
Upon relinquishing her crown in March 2007, Lawrence said in a statement that she had "taken a deeply personal decision to face up to my responsibilities as one who expects to become a mother later this year. I believe with all that is within me that it is my moral obligation to do what I believe to be ethically correct and follow what I believe in my heart to be right."
The pageant's entry rules dictate that contestants must not have given birth to a child prior to the competition, and the winner "must be prepared to be a positive role model
for the youth of Jamaica." Mickey Haughton-James, a pageant official, said that "Lawrence's actions could potentially harm the tradition that is the Miss Jamaica World pageant and its past and future winners."
Lawrence, however, received overwhelming support from the Jamaican public for her decision to have her baby. She received the backing of the Miss World Organization and was allowed to retain both her crowns for the full duration of the reign.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
in the Miss World 2006
Miss World 2006
Miss World 2006, the 56th Miss World pageant was held at Sala Kongresowa, the main 2,897-seat auditorium at the Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw, Poland on the September 30, 2006. It was the first time ever that the pageant was held in a European city other than London, United Kingdom, having...
beauty pageant. In March 2007, she relinquished the Miss Jamaica World title upon announcing her pregnancy, becoming the first winner in the Jamaican contest's 23-year-history to do so.
Lawrence was born in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
. She graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
, where she majored in biology with an emphasis on pre-medicine
Pre-medical
Pre-medical is a term used to describe a track an undergraduate student in the United States pursues prior to becoming a medical student...
; according to her contestant biography, her career ambition is to become a doctor specializing in obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
and gynaecology
Gynaecology
Gynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive system . Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women"...
.
After winning the Jamaican title in August 2006, Lawrence placed in the first six at the Miss World competition held in Warsaw, Poland
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, where she was also named Miss World Caribbean
Miss World Continental Groups
The following is a list of countries that participate in Miss World and their countinental groups. Also listed are the women who have won a Miss World Continental Queen of Beauty title in the past ten years.-Africa:...
.
Upon relinquishing her crown in March 2007, Lawrence said in a statement that she had "taken a deeply personal decision to face up to my responsibilities as one who expects to become a mother later this year. I believe with all that is within me that it is my moral obligation to do what I believe to be ethically correct and follow what I believe in my heart to be right."
The pageant's entry rules dictate that contestants must not have given birth to a child prior to the competition, and the winner "must be prepared to be a positive role model
Role model
The term role model generally means any "person who serves as an example, whose behaviour is emulated by others".The term first appeared in Robert K. Merton's socialization research of medical students...
for the youth of Jamaica." Mickey Haughton-James, a pageant official, said that "Lawrence's actions could potentially harm the tradition that is the Miss Jamaica World pageant and its past and future winners."
Lawrence, however, received overwhelming support from the Jamaican public for her decision to have her baby. She received the backing of the Miss World Organization and was allowed to retain both her crowns for the full duration of the reign.