Menu
Student earns top honors during pageant
A member of Mountain Home High School's National Honor Society took home $500 in scholarship money while earning the title of Mr. MHHS during an award presentation last week.
The high school's Business Professionals of America presented its 10th Annual Mr. MHHS Pageant title to Haydon Draper -- one of 10 students vying for the honor during Thursday's event.
Brad Foreman went on to earn first runner up while Jonathon Deese finished as the second runner up. Others competing for this year's honor were Allan Roberts, Alexander Dominguez, Dylan Goodell, Shaun Holland, Josef Merrill and Pedro Cook.
The motivation to participate differed among participants. Dominguez and Holland felt the evening was a way to have fun and to make memories with their friends.
Others like Forman looked at the competition as a way to earn scholarship money as they pursue their college education.
Meanwhile, Deese joked that he got involved in the yearly pageant because he's a competitive "alpha male."
The program serves as a key a fundraiser for the high school's Business Professionals of America club. Money raised will help defray costs for the group's upcoming competitions, including this year's state competition, which begins March 12 at Boise State University.
Club organizers consider the yearly event a "humorous, entertaining event" that gives the senior boys a chance for a scholarship while serving as successful fundraiser for the high school club.
Members of the Business Professionals of America club considered the pageant fundraiser a great success after it raised hundreds of dollars during the evening, said Janet Webb, who oversees the high school organization. She credited the team of volunteers, local business owners and others that helped make this year's pageant possible.
To win the title, each candidate competed in several categories that tested their physical fitness, personal attire and talent, evening wear and academics along with a question and answer session.
In the strength test, contestants cranked out push-ups and sit-ups in a set time limit followed by a freestyle performance. After the initial fitness events, some of the students took time to strike a pose or ham it up on stage with Deese going on to win that initial event.
The evening's lineup moved on to the talent showcase, allowing each teen to demonstrate their musical abilities, dance moves or their sense of humor.
Roberts used the time to break it down to the classic hip hop beat as he danced to M.C. Hammer's classic hit "Can't Touch This," complete with a set of Hammer Pants worn by the rapper. Deese read excerpts from the novel "50 Shades of Gray" told in the stylings of children's author Dr. Seuss while Cook played Deep Purple's classic hit "Smoke on the Water" on his banjo.
But it was Draper's piano solo that had people standing and applauding. The senior performed excerpts from "Comptine D'Un Autre Été" a new age composition featured in the 2001 French film, "Amélie."
The evening's festivities then shifted direction during the evening wear contest, which allowed the teens and their escorts to step out in a range of attire. While competitors like Goodell and Forman walked on the stage with their escorts in semi-formal outfits, Dominguez and his escort, Yuridia Ayala, showcased their Hispanic pride as they came dressed in traditional attire.
Meanwhile, Deese and his escort, Parker Nicole Brooks, took a page from the 1950s as they dressed up as Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson from the 1978 film, "Greese," while Cook and his escort, Mariah Butori, took a page from the Roaring 20s in their classic attire.
Each contestant was then put on the spot during the evening's question and answer period. Drawing random questions from a hat, the teens had just a few seconds to craft a response.
Dominguez was asked to describe the one thing that got him into the most trouble in his life. He quickly told the audience that it involved reading excerpts from "50 Shades of Gray" earlier that evening.
Meanwhile, Goodell drew a question wanting to know the last time he was ever really nervous.
"About three seconds go," the senior fired back.
But it was an unexpected response from a member the audience that had everyone laughing as Roberts prepared to answer a question regarding the hardest thing he had ever done.
"Take out the trash," was the immediate response that came from his mother, Coluda Modica. It was something she had asked him to do earlier that evening, which she said he didn't finish before he left the house to attend the pageant.
The academic part of last week's pageant focused heavily on the scholastic aptitude of each competitor, based on overall grade-point averages and the level of difficulty associated with their respective classes. Draper picked up his second award of the evening by standing out amongst his peers.
As the judges counted their votes before the evening's award ceremony, each of the seniors showcased their salesmanship during a cake auction. Foreman would go on to earn his first award of the evening after he earned the most money for the baked treat he helped sell.
As the evening drew to a close, members of the Business Professionals of America club cast their votes on who they felt met the definition of "Mr. Congeniality." Roberts would go on to earn the club's nod for that distinction.
Looking back on this year's pageant, Draper admitted that he enjoyed an evening with his friends. He added that earning the distinction of Mr. Mountain Home High School represents his love of the Mountain Home community.
"I love this city," the teen said.