“And now the moment you have all been waiting for. Our lucky winner of this year’s Mr. Blake pageant, who will go down in history as the Sixth Annual Mr. Blake winner, is….”

As the Mr. Blake pageant approaches, February 21 at 7:30pm, 13 handsome contestants have been anxiously awaiting their stage debut. Senior Martin Villagran, Mr. Fuego Latino, says, “I think the show’s going to be awesome and we’re going to put on an epic Mr. Blake show.”

Like the previous years, the pageant is getting even better with the formal wear/question, swimwear, talent, and dance portions. “The talent is going to be most exciting for everyone,” adds senior Alan Brylawski, Mr. Swimmer, “but the swimsuit competition is just for the ladies.”

Villagran will rap for the audience, a talent that is sure to set him apart from other contestants and get the crowd to cheer him on. Says Villagran, “I think the whole rap thing, although it’s music, is different than singing…so it’s easier for a funnier twist.”

Rapping with Villagran is senior Alex Case. Villagran adds, “It’s more for entertainment because that’s what Alex and I are looking to do.”

Brylawski has also found a unique talent. “At homecoming I saw people [beating their feet],” says Brylawski. “I tried and it’s a lot of fun to do and watch.” Brylawski’s talent this year is a lot different from last year when he was in the Mr. Blake pageant and won “Mr. Congeniality.”

“Last year I sang “Lean on Me,” by Bill Withers and the year before that I played guitar for a friend,” adds Brylawski. Villagran has also appeared in the pageant to assist a friend in the talent portion of the show.

“I went to the competition last year [to help out a friend], and thought it was a lot of fun,” says Villagran. “It’s my last year here and my friends are doing it so I figured I would too.”

Likewise, Brylawski says, “I think Mr. Blake is more for bonding and having a good time with friends than a competition.”