Mr. Pelican contestants rehearse for Klamath Union Associated Student Body’s annual fundraiser April 14 at the Ross Ragland Theater.
One of the most popular events of the year for Klamath Union High School has arrived. Mr. Pelican is here, once again. Mr. Pelican, a storied custom at KU since 2005, is a parody of Miss Klamath County and Miss City of Sunshine.
The event will feature 10 male Klamath Union students who will showcase why they feel they should be this year’s Mr. Pelican, which will leave the winner with a scholarship toward their select university, community college or trade program. This year’s Mr. Pelican will be at 7 p.m. April 14 at the Ross Ragland Theater. Tickets are sold through Klamath Union Associated Student Body at the high school for $15 and can be purchased at the door before the event at Ross Ragland.
The event will have a different element to it compared to years past. In previous pageants, Klamath Union ASB selected a person in the community, and in recent years, an elementary school student, who might have been in need as the beneficiary. In preparing for the big day, the student government found it difficult to find a student and decided to go another route.
The group came together, with the desire of wanting to have its beneficiary be youth-based.
After much thought and with several organizations which help out youth in mind, KU ASB’s benefactor this year is Friends of the Children – Klamath Basin. It is the first time in recent Mr. Pelican competitions the ASB has chosen an organization as its beneficiary.
Friends of the Children is part of a national nonprofit organization which empowers youth who are facing heavy obstacles and provide consistent, long-term mentoring. The mentorship lasts 12-plus years for students from kindergarten through their high school graduation. Ticket sales from Mr. Pelican, corporate sponsorships and miracle minutes, will all go toward Friends of the Children.
Friends of the Children put on its annual Ugly Sweater Run fundraiser this past December, an event many KU ASB students volunteered at, including student government adviser, Matthew Hill. It was then when the idea for Friends of the Children to become the pageant’s benefactor began.
KU ASB was not a stranger to how Friends of the Children has profoundly helped students in its school through the years.
“We are all students who go through the same issues that Friends of the Children tries helping address,” KU ASB President, Bell Riley, said. “We thought it would be a great idea to have them as our benefactor because they help out some of our students at KU and elementary school students who we would have wanted to help.”
When Friends of the Children Director of Development and Marketing, Anne Keyser, reached out to many organizations to help with its fundraising run, KU ASB did not hesitate to lend a helping hand.
“This was a surprise. I do not know how they selected us but we are thrilled,” Keyser said.
“The funds will go directly to supporting professional mentoring for kids in the Klamath Basin,” Friends of the Children Executive Director, Amanda Squibb, said. “Every little bit helps to make that long-term commitment to the kids. We feel really lucky.”
Mr. Pelican contestants and Klamath Union Associated Student Body pose for a photo with Friends of the Children Executive Director, Amanda Squibb and Director of Development and Marketing, Anne Keyser.
The Contestants, The Show
The event’s 10 contestants are seniors Nathan Carter, Aidan Coe, Andrew Morris, William Soriano, Gerardo Mendez, junior Carter Harmon, sophomores Joshua Nash, Bryce Petersen and freshman Brent Peterson and Jacob Martin. Last year, student government had issues recruiting contestants but had a large pool to select from this year.
Riley is confident the show will run smoothly as last year was the first time any of the students in ASB put together a Mr. Pelican. The show will begin with an opening performance from all the contestants, followed by a segment where the audience will meet each person in the competition.
The night will follow with an all-too-familiar swim suit segment, as well as each contestant’s opportunity to showcase a talent. It will be followed by on-stage interview questions.
Riley stressed this year’s show will include more games and involvement with community members between segments of the show.
Riley and fellow ASB President Braden Dawson have had their hands tied preparing for next Friday’s fundraiser. Costumes, bowties, dress shirts and suspenders are all provided and paid for by ASB.
“We supply everything the guys need. It is our first full year back of school and are more prepared. It (Mr. Pelican) is going to be more fast paced,” Riley said. “In the incoming months, we want to have the contestants involved, volunteering with Friends of the Children. A lot of the guys take a lot of courses, work hard to keep their GPA up, are in sports, clubs or even student government. They have worked hard for this night.”
Klamath Union High School junior Carter Harmon, left, prepares for Mr. Pelican, which will be April 14 at the Ross Ragland Theater.
