Homecoming-It’s the epitome of school spirit.  And on the evening of Oct. 6, ten of the most highly spirited Stony Brook students competed against each other to determine which two individuals would be crowned the ultimate manifestation of Seawolf pride.

A line full of excited supporters formed throughout the Student Activities Center the night of the event.  As the crowd entered the auditorium, each audience member received a ballot to be used to vote for his or her picks at the end of the program.

Among the male contestants were William Stevens, Maxx Wilfredo Rivera, Michael Glick, Eric Acsher and Charles Rico.  Their female counterparts, Tiffany Fernandez, Alina Onefater, Alison Huenger, Alexandria Lanza and Kirin Mahmud, did not fail to dazzle the audience.

The evening started as each contestant answered two questions – one of which they were informed of before the contest, and a second that had to be answered completely candidly.

The first question, the same for every contestant was “Why do you think that you should be homecoming King/Queen?”  The second was specific to the topic each individual discussed in his or her essay upon entering the contest.  Contestants were asked to describe their involvement in their respective on-campus activities, or to elaborate on their aspirations.

The next round brought more excitement as each contestant displayed a talent.  Most talents involved a musical component, as some contestants played music, and some contestant’s performances had a strong musical presence in the background of their act.

Stevens was the first to perform with his band. Throughout the performance, Stevens became engulfed in his own music, dancing and jumping around the stage in a way that made many audience members laugh. Stevens also made a comment right before he began playing that clearly targeted the soft-hearted.

“I wore these shorts because my mommy likes them so much, so thank you mommy,” Stevens said.

Fernandez, wearing a gorgeous white dress, sang with the Stony Brook Gospel Choir and was accompanied by a violinist and pianist.  The choir acted as a line of backup singers for Fernandez, and was extremely enthusiastic and cheerful.

Rivera played the trumpet, accompanied by a drummer, bassist, and pianist.  Rivera seemed completely enveloped in the music.

Onefater recreated a carnival-esque scene on stage for her talent. Dressed as a clown, and with balloon animal creations, face painting, Latin-inspired music, “vote for Alina” sign and back-up dancers, she convinced the audience to comply when Onefater asked them  to dance to the Cha-Cha Slide.

Glick showed off his talent as a drummer, while a slideshow of photographs of himself and other students at Stony Brook events played on the screen above him.  The slideshow exhibited his school spirit and involvement, while his drumming exhibited his talent and drive.

Huenger’s talent was not musical, but did involve an iconic member of the music industry. She expressed her desire to help in the fight against “Beiber Fever,” an obession with Justin Beiber that is so intense that there is cause for both concern and medical attention.  Huenger’s dance number (to a Justin Beiber song, of course) ended with a public service announcement, with “Arms Of An Angel” subtly playing in the background.

Ascher performed a short segment entitled “Eric’s Kitchen.”  Not only did he instruct the audience on how to make “Red Hot” soup, he did a dance with belly dancers backing him and his partner up.

Lanza told the audience (through song) to “follow the zebra path home.”  The Witch, the Lion, and the Tin Man accompanied her as she danced and sang the tune.  Lanza made a speech of sorts, relating her Stony Brook experience to the Tin Man’s hardened heart, which eventually softens.  Lanza told the audience that “each of us are on our own way to a Wizard,” and that “all of those scarecrows out there will truly learn the power of their own minds.”

Rico danced onto the stage, and proceeded to ask a girl waiting onstage if she would dance with him.  She replied, “You just don’t have enough swagger.”  Rico then did an Indian-style dance with two others, to find his swagger. He asked once more if the girl in the red dress would “join me in the baile.  Musica maestro!”  The two danced to Ricky Martin, which gave Rico an excuse to take off his jacket and show the audience his muscles.

Last, but not least, Mahmud also performed a dance number, after showing a music video of herself dancing to “Empire State of Mind, with words altered to suit Stony Brook.  Mahmud’s dance number began as an Indian dance in Indian garb, and transitioned to a dance more typical of American hip-hop.

The contest was full of excitement and surprises, but it did not go off without a hitch.  During Rivera’s act the lights went out.  The host would joked by saying the group was  “so talented they can play in the dark.”

One of the judges, a self-described “woman of many words,” Jennifer Penn, a clinical case manager of the counseling and psychological services department at Stony Brook, commented at the end of the contest, “There was a lot of talent.  [It was] very exciting.”

Huenger added that the event “was full of energy, entertainment, and wonderful people.” He said he “really enjoyed getting to know everyone on the Court over the past week” and added that “each and every one of the candidates truly deserves the honor of being homecoming royalty.”

The winner of the contest was announced at half time of the Homecoming Football Game against the Virginia Military Institute.