"Mr. Easton" Pageant Highlights the Talent and Charm of EAHS Senior Guys

By Margaret Farrell


Easton Area High School senior Abe Meade, crowned as Mr. Easton 2013.
Photos by Margaret Farrell

 Easton Area High School senior Abe Meade took the crown at the school's Seventh Annual Mr.Easton Pageant Thursday evening, besting six other brave contestants, in an extravagant showcase of school spirit and entertaining acts that highlighted each's talents and charm.

Emcees Kiana Brown and Jean Gabat, both seniors at the school, opened the event amid an electric atmosphere in the EAHS auditorium and announced the formal wear segment to an excited crowd.

Modeling tuxedos provided by C. E. Roth Formal Wear, seniors Abraham Meade, Xavier Cousens, Ezra Gaines, Mike Guarino, Xavier Jenkins, and Willie Alford demonstrated their finest formal stage presence. They were accompanied by their escorts, Valerie Smith, Heather Francis, Rachel Gabat, Katie Miller, Arianna Grays, and Liz Wieller, respectively.



From left to right: Liz Wieller, Willie Alford, Arianna Grays,  Xavier Jenkins, Mike Guarino, Katie Miller, Ezra Gaines, Rachel Gabat, Xavier Cousens, Heather Francis, Abe Meade, Valerie Smith
Click on any photo for a better view.



Emcees Stavros Kariofillis
and Jean Gabat

Each contestant’s entrance was announced with short biographies read by Stavros Kariofillis and Jean Gabat, also of the Class of 2013.

Following the formal wear competition, contestants flaunted swimwear ensembles. All contestants were ready with multiple showy stances for the audience.



Xavier Cousens, demonstrating
the proper technique for
walking in flippers.




Ezra Gaines shows off
his toned physique.

 In particular, Meade impressed the audience from the start with his beach-ready sunhat and tanning oil look.

Cousens followed, demonstrating the proper technique for walking in large flippers.

The audience was then treated to the talent competition.

Meade and Guarino both presented their musical talents--the former with some impressive vocals and the latter with a remarkable guitar solo.

Gaines showed off a combination of acrobatics and beat-boxing, while Cousens made a bold attempt at a tennis-style reenactment of William Tell’s legendary apple shot, nearly pelting his assistant and those standing backstage with tennis balls.

Jenkins gained much applause with a basketball trick-dribbling act, and Alford touched the hearts of all present with a heartfelt poem to his girlfriend.

Before the final tallying of scores, all contestants were asked a "hot seat" question by one of four judges: Jeannette Kassis, Jeannine Capecci, Michelle Mihalko, and Michael Koch, all EAHS staff members.

The questions, designed to test and define the character of each contestant, asked "What makes you unique?" or "What would you change about the world?" and similar thought-provoking inquiries.



Michael Koch, (with his son), Michelle Mihalko,
Jeannine Capecci, and Jeannette Kassis
served as judges for the event.




EAHS senior Cory Lopez
plays with the jazz band.

Opening the show and between events, the EAHS jazz band and combo entertained the crowd, adding extra energy and an aura of class to the night’s mood.

"It’s definitely something that we look forward to here in the jazz band," said senior member Cory Lopes before the show. "It should be a good night."

And, at last, the announcement of the scores revealed Jenkins as first runner-up, and Abe Meade as Mr. Easton 2013.

Meade was then presented with a crown and sash by Brionna Wise and Kiana Brown.



"It’s definitely humbling," Meade said afterwards. "I never thought I’d be Mr. Easton at all. It’s such an honor to be part of Easton tradition."

Jenkins seemed upbeat backstage after the competition, despite failing to take the crown.

"I lost because of the singing," he said, smiling. "I couldn't compete with the singing."

Biology teacher Penny Diehl, an organizer of the event, explained the basis of the Mr. Easton tradition.

"School spirit is one of the big reasons why we do it. It recognizes the outstanding talents of our senior males and highlights the jazz band," she said. "It’s kind of neat to see them out of the classroom and showing off some of their charm."

   

Margaret Farrell, a junior at Easton Area High School, serves as a features editor for the school's newspaper, The Junto. She hopes to apply her writing and reporting skills to her other interests in the future.