Male students let their hair down, and stuff bras, for a good cause
By Mandy Bourgeois | Published Thursday, March 11, 2010
Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) has hosted the fundraiser since 2008, with teacher Carrie Oberle in charge of what she describes as "organized chaos."
Oberle uses the more than 100 members of SADD to sell tickets, make shirts, record the show, work the lights, direct, make sashes and provide entertainment during the show.
"We just wanted to do something fun," she said, saying that she recruits as many people to work the show as possible to provide a night of positive entertainment. "I'm finding ways to highlight as many kids as possible. This allows some kids to highlight their talent."
That entertainment wasn't painless for the contestants.
"I wasn't expecting super glue," said senior Ryan Thomas, 17, explaining how his fake eyelashes were attached. "I may be wearing these for a few days."
This year's contest was the second time Ryan took the stage in the Miss Eighter from Decatur Contest, competing for the first time his sophomore year. His previous experience eased his nervousness as he prepared to portray Lady Gaga.
Jones, 18, represented the powerlifting team. He employed the help of classmates Carissa Green and Fleming Smurthwaite as his costume consultants.
Jones said that the Monday before the pageant, he went to his stylist's house and had a practice makeup run, a practice dress run and practice hair run. Despite his fear that he left himself open to blackmail, he said he wanted to take a risk his senior year.
"I figured that I'm a senior, so I might as well leave having a good time and do something I won't ever do again," he said.
The night did leave me with a few questions.
First, why, when boys are dressed as women, do they pay so much attention to their fake breasts?
There was no shortage of breasts in this all-male pageant - most exaggerated with the help of multiple pairs of socks stuffed in a borrowed bra, and as expected, a few pairs of balloons. And those breasts were rarely left alone, with the owners constantly adjusting their position.
Are boys and men so enchanted by the body part that they are genuinely excited to have their own pair, however temporary they may be?
Second, do women really walk like that?
I'm hoping that the swaying hips were a slight exaggeration.
Third, who knew that Decatur High School had such musically talented students?
They played guitars, jazz instruments and pianos with ease. The local band Jekyll and Hyde played between segments, and guitarist Jason Smith wowed the crowd. Ben Copeland played the piano while Taylor Lindsey sang Jackson 5's "I Want You Back."
A crowning ceremony summed up the evening. Jones took fourth place and Thomas was third, Copeland was second and Alejandro Beltran was named the winner.
Proceeds from the event go toward new sound equipment for the DHS theater department.
