Gradman is an exciting mock-pageant competition comprised of twelve senior boys voted on by the senior class. It will take place March 29 at 7 p.m centered around the theme of “The Fresh Prince of Athens Drive.”The night will be filled with dancing, laughs and fun as the boys will compete for the prize of being “The Freshest Prince” of Athens Drive throughout different competitions.
“The show is going to be so funny you might pee your pants,” said Bradley Gahan, senior.
The boys will compete in four categories: charity, talent, athleticism and the questionnaire round. They have been working countless hours since January to perfect their skills for the chance to win. The men, along with their escorts (female student council representatives), get together every Wednesday and Thursday night, while also working on their individual parts a lot outside of practices as well.
“It has been really fun. It is a lot more work than people realize, but we know that the end result is going to be so good,” said Emily Wesson, senior.
The boys in the production and their titles are as follows:
Abdallah Asad: Mr. Wild and Crazy
Arda Unal: Mr. Funny
Benji Connor: Mr. Cute
Bradley Gahan: Mr. Individualistic
Chance Beacham: Mr. Musical
Cody Nance: Mr. Nice and Sweet
James Hollenhead: Mr. Intelligent
Kenny Venditti: Mr. School Spirited
Khalil Khatib: Mr. Best All Around
Michael Lee: Mr. Artistic
Mohammed Musa: Mr. Involved
Xavier Mcneil: Mr. Athletic
All of the money raised for Gradman will go to the charity that the boys have selected to represent. The boys and their escorts have been carrying jugs around school collecting spare change to raise money. The pair that raises the most money by gradman night will win the charity portion of the evening, which adds a bonus 10 points to their overall score. The current standings of how much each boy has raised can be seen on the gradman wall next to the main office and is updated weekly. All of the ticket sales will also go to the charity of the winning gradman.
“The charity I chose was the Wounded Warriors Foundation, and it has been really fun to try and raise money for them knowing it’s going to such a great cause,” said Cody Nance, senior.
All of the boys have learned several choreographed group dances that they will perform for everyone. Different moves to be expected include the coffee grinder, twerking and the cracker jack.
“It was an amazing experience to learn a skill I would never have known otherwise. We had a really great time during practice and really bonded as a group,” said James Hollenhead, senior.
The tickets are five dollars per person, with a maximum of two tickets per person and priority will be given to the seniors. The night will be hosted by Ava Wallace, Ali Hida, Dylan Childers and Wael Nabih.
“Come for a night of the most exciting thing you will ever witness of the Athens Drive stage,” said Christopher Remaley, math teacher.