This past Friday, hundreds of people from the Lenape community filled the seats of the Lenape High School auditorium to see 12 eager contestants compete for the title of “Mr. Lenape.” With the tradition now spanning 12 years, the night proceeded with its usual order of events: the introduction of contestants and their months, individual skits, two musical interludes, a group skit, Q&A session with the escorts, intermission (voting), and crowning of Mr. Lenape.
This year’s Mr. Lenape was full of high energy, and it would not have been possible without all of the students and staff who worked hard to make it happen. While the contestants and their groups were putting on a vibrant show for the audience, there were others behind the scenes controlling the stage lights, making sure participants knew where to go, and tallying up all the points at the end of the night. Class of 2024 advisors Ms. Dimmig and Mr. McAneny played an especially integral part in organizing and bringing the show to life.
On the stage, Mr. Tamburello reprised his role as the night’s MC, keeping the audience engaged as always. There were also two amazing musical performances by Darcy Serenbetz, Samantha Twisler, and Rachel Lawrence, and Siena Fedoruk and Ava Davis.
The 12 contestants and their groups also did an outstanding job as well. Leading up to the lively night, each contestant was tasked with gaining points for their “month” by selling calendars and collecting change for Penny Wars. All of the groups spent months preparing, from the dazzling costumes to the showstopping choreography seen on the stage.
At the end of the night, all of the votes were tallied from intermission and the results were in. Following his Rihanna-inspired performance, Andrew Shank (Mr. September) was crowned the new Mr. Lenape! Second and third place were respectively awarded to Riya Mandala (Ms. December) with her outstanding hip-hop choreography, and Han Bui (Mr. February) with a crowd-pleasing performance to Chris Brown.
While much of the night kept to its tradition, a notable change to the competition was the first female contestant in Mr. Lenape history. After watching her brother secure the crown in 2019, Riya wanted to join in on the uplifting experience as well and was voted in by her peers. While she certainly faced challenges as the first female to compete in this event, her drive to make an impact on Lenape allowed her to overcome them. Riya remarks, “Mr. Lenape was truly a pivotal moment for me to learn so much about myself and push myself to limits I didn’t think I could reach.” Her determination amidst adversity is an inspiration to girls of all ages.
As a whole, every group that participated in Mr. Lenape put on an exceptional show and made it an incredibly fun experience. Congratulations to all the winners, and the new Mr. Lenape, Mr. September!