Sustainability and Camaraderie: Battle for Mr. and Ms. SHS Intrams Showcases Solidarity and Creativity

By: Alexandra Delavin

One of the most awaited events of the Senior High School Department had finally come as the school held the annual search for the next Mr. and Ms. Intramurals with the theme “Sustaining Unity and Camaraderie Through Sports”  last September 14 in the Edgar V. Bondoc Gymnasium (EVB) wherein two representatives of each team from the Fearless Blue Eagles,  Swift White Hawks, Blazing Red Tamaraws, and Roaring Yellow Tigers have partaken in.

The anticipated event, spearheaded by Ms. Marife Perlas and Dr. Danilo Keh Jr., started through a morning prayer led by Erika Castro that was followed by a creative video presentation that was presented to give the audience a glimpse of the candidates’ effort through their pictorials.  The Senior High School Department Vice Principal, Dr. Noemi Formaran, was then called onstage to give her welcoming remarks who reminded the students that the competition’s goal is not only to find the next winners, but also to put an end to strand shaming as different team members unite as one to claim the title of a champion. Shortly after, the ever dynamic and dearest principal, Dr. Alexander Acosta, proceeded to give his inspirational speech wherein he reminded everyone the importance of unity as he said, “You belong to one team. Your contributions, whether big or small, are always counted in the success of the team. “. As the hype and excitement of the students cannot be contained any longer, the hosts called on Mrs. Maricel Gubat to read the mechanics of the Search for the Next Mr. and Ms. Intramurals that was followed by the Introduction of the Judges by Dr. Julius Reyes.

As the roaring cheers of the audience intensified, the search for the next Mr. and Ms. Intramurals finally introduced the candidates through a production number by the candidates themselves, alongside selected students, which showcased their beauty and confidence as each pair danced to the music with grace as they introduced themselves with conviction and charm. This was then followed by the runway wherein they showcased the beauty and simplicity of the school’s P.E. uniform. To give time for the candidates to prepare for their talent portion, an intermission was performed by Alexandra Belgica and selected SHS students. As the intermission ended, the candidates went up on stage by pair as they exhibited their talents that captivated the hearts of the audience. Furthermore, they had the audience howling as they proceeded on the exhibition of their sports attire as they walked on stage, making it their own. Subsequently, the Ultimate Dance Battle contestants last year, Bes Crew and Crush, gave out a performance that radiated positive vibes all throughout the gym before proceeding on to the Question and Answer Portion where each candidate proved that PSD has truly molded its students to be more than just a beauty and charm, but also have brains and intellect as well. As the program neared its end, the time was given for the teams to present their creativeness and support for each other as they showcased their respective bench cheers. The gym was filled with howls and smiles as each team finished with the cheer that was then followed by a serenade by one of the judges, Mr. Reggie Cardona. Successively, the Ms. Intramurals and the 1^st Runner Up (Male) in the previous year, Hannah Leanda and Carlisle Cachuela, were given the chance to have their final walk before the awarding of the new Mr. and Ms. Intramurals wherein they reminded the candidates that success is only possible with the help of the people around them and that being humble is important to be able to remain on the ground. Finally, the awarding has come as each candidate was asked to go up on stage for the announcement of winners. Each candidate had done his/her best and it has been a tough decision as the battle was intense among the candidates. Three kinds of awards were given to the candidates to also give recognition for their efforts : The Special Awards, The Minor Awards, and The Major Awards. The Awarding for the Bench Cheering was also announced. Although the energy of the students were still full and visible, the time had come to finally end the program with a prayer led by Mikhaela Jimenez followed by the Vote of Thanks by the Judges.

Every year, the search for Mr. and Ms. Intramurals is held and has never failed to bring students together as each gap enclose through teamwork. Indeed, sports can bring people together as the SHS students showcased not just unity, but also sustainability and camaraderie during the Intramurals.