On April 17, Sierra Vista High School’s Theater Department held the 21st annual Mr. Mountain Lion Pageant to pass on the title of ‘Mr. Mountain Lion’ to a new student. The competition lasted from six PM to eight PM. Tickets bought before the show cost three dollars, while tickets sold at the door cost five dollars. These funds went towards the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation, an organization that aims to build a better future for children with disabilities.
In this pageant, 11 senior male students at Vista competed against one another alongside a female partner to win one of the six different titles available. The categories students could win included ‘Mr. Mountain Lion,’ ‘Mr Fan Favorite,’ ‘Mr. Rizz,’ ‘Mr. Showstopper,’ ‘Mr. BettyCrocker,’ and lastly, ‘The Charitables.’ The students were judged on their ability to captivate the audience and command the room with their positive qualities. The 11 contestants in the pageant were Christian Rebolledo, Elijah Jurolan, Dreii Ganibo, Nehemiah Brown, Jay Strader, Tyler Sipes, Jaedon Burg, Jacob Love, Jack Donahue, Nate Shaffery, and Keyawn Mitchell. The student who most embodied each of these titles, from their energy to their personality, were chosen to inherit the title, with the candidate who best represented Sierra Vista’s goals and spirit crowned ‘Mr. Mountain Lion.’
Victoria and Bill Strong founded The Gwendolyn Strong Foundation in 2009 by and originally funded research for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Now, it supports children and families with disabilities in several ways, such as financially, through providing accessibility in spaces such as playgrounds, through promoting inclusion, and by speaking up and advocating for the rights of people with disabilities. Nevergiveup.org states that the goal of the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation is ‘Transforming lives and building a kinder and more inclusive future.’ Sierra Vista has worked with the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation to help kids with disabilities for years.
In an interview with Strong, she expressed that “I have always believed in the power of personal action and the idea of doing nothing was completely counter to my core.” Thanks to Sierra Vista’s help with funding from the Mr. Mountain Lion Pageant, children will receive access to life-improving care.
At the end of the competition, Christian Rebolledo earned the title ‘Mr. Mountain Lion,’ making him the winner of the Mr. Mountain Lion Pageant.
