For a night, the crowd in the auditorium was able to watch as 40 contestants were given the chance to represent Coral Gables Senior High’s clubs and sports. On the evening of Dec. 20, at 7 p.m, Gables opened its doors to a community of alumni, parents and students who came to watch a Gables tradition. For yet another year, the Mr. Coral Gables pageant showcases the diversity of Cavalier upperclassmen, their talents and charisma.
To kick off the show, the contestants surprised the audience by running down the aisles of the auditorium and onto the stage to the beat of Europe’s ‘The Final Countdown’. The participants danced on stage to a mashup of some of the most trending songs, performing the most lengthy number of the show, keeping the audience’s energy going. Between their stunts and unique formations, performing Cavaliers received an energetic response from the crowd, as the majority sang and danced along.
Taking the stage, Masters of Ceremony and seniors Laura Ridoux and Lia Alongi introduced themselves and gave a rundown of the show. They began with the introduction of each contestant’s talent. As the pair called participants’ names one by one, they walked around the stage showing themselves off to the crowd, while the MCs announced their best qualities and hobbies.
“This is my second year taking part in the biggest Gables’ tradition, and this year I am Mr. International Baccalaureate Honor Society. Getting to partake in this huge event, I created stronger bonds with a lot of the other guys and the Gablettes, so it really was a big community effort,” senior Adrian Guerrero said.
The Gablettes‘ first performance of the night followed, setting the stage for the night. Following the lead of their “sweetheart” Gablettes, contestants danced on stage with their classmates, as the two groups merged to ABBA’s “The Winner Takes It All”.
“It meant a lot to me. Apart from just making my high school experience more interesting, it’s been a pleasure to be a part of an event that brings in students, parents and teachers alike; where everyone is there to just have fun watching the show,” senior Luciano Magaldi said.
Following the dancers performance, all the contestants were called back onto stage to announce the top 10 finalists of the night. These finalists went on to perform small skits in hopes of gaining the crowds attention and the judges’ votes.
Senior Anthony Robles had the crowd singing along to IDGAF by Drake while he performed an improvised dance routine similar to his skit from last year. As the intro to Creep by Radiohead flooded the auditorium, the crowd stood and sang along, cheering on Ruben Cruz, Mr. Chess, while he sung and played the electric guitar.
Once the scores had been tallied, it was finally time to announce the Mr. Coral Gables winner. As the crowd grew quieter, a drumroll was initiated and quickly, the auditorium filled with the sounds of rumbling feet. After a few moments of suspense, Mr. Gables Players, senior Jamar Howard, was crowned as Mr. Coral Gables.
Howard shared a close moment with his fellow classmates as they celebrated his win. To conclude the night, the crowned winner gave a speech thanking the student body for their support. He credited his teachers, whom he said added countless moments of motivation throughout his high school experience.
