On April 4,  the Performing Arts Center will be packed with students supporting their favorite candidate for Mr. LHS. National Honors Society decided to bring back the lighthearted pageant, in which male students compete for the title of Mr. LHS. This year’s competition will include the standard interview, talent, and outfit modeling portion with a potential group dance.

“The most important thing about Mr. LHS, is it will be done for charity, each contestant will choose a charity to raise money for,” said NHS adviser Marek Dron.

Students last competed for the title of Mr. LHS in 2016. Whether the event is held each year or not is based off of student interest and sponsorship. NHS, the sponsor for this year’s pageant, sponsored the event once before in 2011. In the years before the event has been sponsored by the Junior class.

NHS fundraising chairs have attempted to hold the pageant in previous years, but a lack of boys interested stopped the event from running. The decision to bring back Mr. LHS was spearheaded by the NHS fundraising chairs, senior Jordyn Smith and senior Kaylie Lingl, who saw Mr. LHS their freshman year and wanted to bring the show back.

“I know the fundraising chairs, Kaylie and Jordyn, are super passionate. We have a lot more success when the chairs are motivated and actually want to do something,” said Dron.

The competition is still in the very early stages. NHS just did a contestant search by sending a survey allowing students to nominate themselves or their peers.

Nothing is solidified yet, and questions still remain. As students nominate their female peers, the question of whether girls will be allowed to compete in the event advertised as a pageant for male students only.  

“There were girls nominated, but none of them have said they wanted to do it. If a girl came up to us and said she wanted to compete, I am sure we could include her”, said senior Kaylie Lingl, one of the NHS fundraising chairs in charge of Mr. LHS.

The NHS has a list of potential candidates and there are some students from the list who show an interest in competing. Among those interested in participating is senior John Arundel, who plans on supporting the Ronald Mcdonald house.

“ I am competing because I feel as though I accurately represent and possess the qualities necessary to flourish at Lemont High School,” said Arundel.