On Wednesday, March 27, eight of Moorestown High School’s seniors sang, danced and told jokes as they battled to be crowned the first-ever Mr. and Miss. Moorestown. While they all earned their fair share of laughs and applause, Emily Calabrese took home the title of Miss Moorestown, and Jake Perez nabbed Mr. Moorestown.
Student council advisor Lea Marano said the idea came up at a student council meeting. Some of the seniors had heard about other schools hosting “Mr. and Miss” pageants and began brainstorming how they could host their own event.
Fellow advisor Kim Warren said student council took a look at what other schools were doing and discussed how they could incorporate different pieces of those events into their competition. They settled on a three-part competition with an introduction in formal wear, a talent portion and an interview.
Student council initially received around 25 applications from seniors hoping to compete, and they whittled down the competition to four men and four women. Marano said they asked students about what activities they’re involved in and sought out well-rounded students who were going to showcase all MHS has to offer.
Senior Tommy Londres served as emcee for the evening’s festivities and introduced each student as they sauntered across the stage in their formal wear.
Winner Calabrese was first up with Londres describing her as “a friendly face for all.” As a senior, Calabrese started an anti-violence club, and she hopes to use her Miss. Moorestown title to bring awareness to anti-violence efforts in schools. Later, during the talent portion of the evening, Calabrese performed a short, stand-up comedy act in which she riffed on the high price of college and the recent college admissions scandals.
Contestants Frederic Chen and Lizzie Graham each performed on the piano. Chen’s original mashup incorporated “Shallow,” the theme song from “The Office” and a variety of other recognizable songs, while Graham performed Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” in its entirety.
Josh Pearcy and Nick Cartwright-Adams teamed up for a soulful performance that had the pair singing and dancing in the aisles to the delight of the audience. Logan Doanhue later followed with a “magic” act in which she parodied typical magic tricks with comical – less than magical – substitutions, including making all of the tissues in a box “disappear” by pulling them out one by one.
Mr. Moorestown Perez and Grace Roscoe both went the musical route. Perez performed an original song on his acoustic guitar, while Roscoe sang a cappella.
During the interview portion of the evening, contestants were asked questions ranging from the challenges of teenagers in 2019 to advice they might pass on to underclassmen. Perez was asked about how he would use his platform if he became famous. He said he would use his fame to start an organization to promote LGBTQ+ rights.
Following the interview portion of the evening, audience members were asked to text in to vote for the winners. Perez shared a few words of thanks as he was crowned. He said he transferred to Moorestown High School after he moved from Maple Shade.
“I’m so glad I moved,” he said as a wide smile spread across his face. “Thank you so much.”
Calabrese also used her crowning to express her gratitude.
“I just want to thank everybody who helped put this show on,” Calabrese said.
The $7 tickets for the night’s events raised money that will go toward supporting MHS’ student activities including prom, homecoming and a variety of other events. Marano said they’re hoping Mr. and Miss. Moorestown becomes an annual event.
“We’re hoping that it’s a big success and that it continues to grow for the following years,” Marano said. “It’s something that really highlights seniors which is nice to do before they head out.”
