Roars filled the auditorium on Feb. 16 in the Rock Ridge auditorium from 7 to 7:45 p.m. as the crowd cheered for their favorite senior performances during The Phoenix Pageant. The Pageant was an opportunity for upperclassmen to showcase their special talents and be voted Ms. or Mr. Phoenix, and hold the glory of being one of the most revered seniors in their grade. 

Previously, the pageant was called Mr. Phoenix, and was only available for male upperclassmen; however, this year’s event was renamed the Phoenix Pageant. Hosted by SCA Co-Presidents seniors Naomi Cho and Ellie Schubert, the event introduced five contestants: seniors Sonique Alvarez, Roya Cranford, Dylan Sams, Mathew Farley, and Shivoy Nagpaul. 

With “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO blasting through the auditorium, the hosts took their place on the stage and introduced the contestants. The night started off with an interview portion, where the hosts interviewed each contestant individually. Questions asked included,  “How much would you pay to protect someone from hacking into your search history?” and “What is your most embarrassing moment?” Alvarez explained that she would pay 100 million dollars to not allow hackers from exposing where she gets her clothes from. 

After the interview portion concluded, the performances began, where each contestant showed off their unique talents. Alvarez and Cranford performed a multi-step dance routine that consisted of four different songs, including the well known song “Rasputin,” and various outfit changes. 

Farley presented an original complex electric guitar performance, where he successfully ate an apple on a paper plate and was fed by his friend, senior Brandon Manivong. Next, Sams sauntered on stage and performed his choreographed routine to “Skate” by Bruno Mars. Finally, Nagpaul sang along to “You’ll Never Walk Alone” by Gerry and The Pacemakers, creating a mellow and serene atmosphere to close off the performances. 

At the end of the night, all contestants performed a synchronized dance to “We R Who We R” by Kesha and “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon before hearing the results of the pageant. The audience was given 5 tickets at the start of the show, and used them to vote after the performances. Meanwhile, the judges gave points to each contestant, which was factored into the final score. 

Cho and Schubert crowned Alvarez and Cranford as the winners of the 2022 Phoenix Pageant, with Sams coming in second place and Farley in third place. 

Gallery • 9 Photos

Lilly Khalkho

Wearing matching country outfits, seniors Sonique Alvarez and Roya Cranford dance along to “Yodeling Kid Remix” by Mason Ramsey. “Roya and I have been best friends for 13 years, so it's way easier having her dancing with me [than doing it alone],” senior Sonique Alvarez said.