Albertson named Mr. SHS

Zander Albertson is 2010's Mr. SHS.

The pageant was held Monday, March 13, at the Sisters High School auditorium, drawing a full house. The event is a major fundraiser for the St. Charles Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

To kick off the show, the boys performed a traditional waltz with their escorts in costumes of Prince Charming, Aladdin, and 12 other princes. Then, in a more modern style, they riled up the audience with hip-shaking moves as they shimmied about the stage. The boys put in countless hours to perfect this performance, working every Wednesday morning for months before the show.

Next, the contestants displayed their individual talents, and the diversity and creativity of their endeavors had the audience enthralled. They witnessed everything from a side-splitting enactment of synchronized swimming with Brandon Morgan, a yoga class taught by Justin Duvenick to some of SHS's favorite teachers, a musical performance with a loop machine from Drew Harrison and Albertson's remarkable video portraying some of his photojournalism work.

The contestants swaggered across the stage in chic tuxedos with their escorts on their arms in elegant gowns. At the end of their strut they were asked the first interview question of the night by pageant announcers Blake Henderson and Jordan Richerson.

The top five were then announced: Drew Harrison, Justin Duvenick, Parker Bennett, Seth Schneider, and Zander Albertson.

The final interview questions were the last portion of the event. Each of the remaining five was given the same question, so while one contestant received it the rest waited in a "sound proof room," (aka the hallway):

"'Life is an occasion, rise to it.'... Give us an example of how you have risen to the occasion of life."

Each of the boys answered this question with intelligence, insight and enthusiasm.

"If you are able to find something you really enjoy you can rise to that occasion," Albertson said. "If I want to be a better photographer I am going to go into that wholeheartedly... In high school you are presented with many choices whether to go for it or not. You have to rise to those occasions."

Albertson was crowned Mr. SHS of 2010 with Levi Rodriguez named Mr. Congeniality. Zander's escort, Rachel Lovegren, was named Best Escort of the pageant.

The event raised more than $27,000 for the St. Charles NICU, with $5,010 from Albertson and Lovegren alone through letters to friends and family.

At the end of the night the loudest applause went to the presenting of the check to the representative from the NICU.