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Eighteen senior and junior boys at Maine South High School scrambled onto the high school’s auditorium stage Friday night dressed in red, white and black attire for a raucous dance performance to a medley of songs from artists such as Missy Elliott, Ariana Grande to the MC Hammer hit, “U Can’t Touch This.”

Roughly 100 people, mostly students, filled the school’s auditorium for Maine South’s second annual Mr. Hawk event. The crowd cheered, laughed and shouted words of encouragement to the performers. The event opened with a dance featuring all 18 competitors in the event. Maine South Vice Principal David Berendt described the event as “basically a male beauty pageant,” which felt at times like a comical pep rally.

The talent portion of the event featured a wide range of performances, including an elaborate ribbon dance, a medley of dance moves from the 1980s through the current day, to covers of Frank Sinatra’s “Come Fly With Me” and pop star Meghan Trainor’s hit single “All About That Bass.”

The competitors were nominated by their peers, Berendt said. Proceeds from the event, which totaled over $5,000, were donated to RettSyndrome.Org, a nonprofit organization that funds research aimed at finding a cure for the postnatal neurological disorder, he said.

Mr Hawk 2016 Mat Schneider asks Ryan Knapp a question during the Q-and-A portion of Maine South's Mr. Hawk competition on March 10.
Mr Hawk 2016 Mat Schneider asks Ryan Knapp a question during the Q-and-A portion of Maine South’s Mr. Hawk competition on March 10.

The competitor with the most points awarded by the event’s three judges was Maine South student Joe Gustafson, according to Berendt. He won for his rendition of “Soul Man.”

In the question-and-answer portion of the event, Gustafson was asked where he saw himself 15 years from now.

“In 15 years, I see myself being a beautiful human being,” he said. “The top half of my body will be like Zeus.” He added that his lower half would be like “Sponge Bob” and “I will be a dad, that will be my job.”

Berendt described the event “as a lot of fun” and “very light-hearted.” The hardest part is choosing the charity, he said. Before the school’s annual homecoming assembly, he said, the student body chooses from a collection of 50 different charities. This year, Maine South students chose RettSyndrome.Org, and so far they’ve raised about $15,000 for the nonprofit from several fundraising events, including Mr. Hawk, Berendt said.

Paul Sasso is named Mr. Congeniality after raising the most money during Maine South's Mr. Hawk competition.
Paul Sasso is named Mr. Congeniality after raising the most money during Maine South’s Mr. Hawk competition.
Daniel Morales sings “Come Fly Away” during his talent portion of Maine South’s Mr. Hawk competition on March 10.
Christo Fosse gets teacher David Hutter on stage to learn how to “whip” during the talent portion of Maine South’s Mr. Hawk competition.

Lee V. Gaines is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.