- December 26, 2024
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Marin Houck is crowned Miss Seabreeze 2022-2023. Photo by Michele Meyers
Newly crowned Miss Seabreeze Marin Houck and Mr. Seabreeze Michael Hayes. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mr. and Miss Seabreeze contestants perform the opening number for the evening show. Photo by Michele Meyers
Dean Holland plays the piano and sings his original song during the Mr. and Miss Seabreeze pageant. Photo by Michele Meyers
Reynaldo Gonzalez plays the Pink Floyd song "Money" for the audience. Photo by Michele Meyers
Aislyn Kelley and Hannah Blake laugh as they tell jokes as masters of ceremony at the Mr. and Miss Seabreeze pageant. Photo by Michele Meyers
Junior Daziya Strozier hopes to attend UNF and join their ROTC program. She sings "Stay" at the Mr. and Miss Seabreeze pageant. Photo by Michele Meyers
Marin Houck sings "Summertime" from the opera "Porgy and Bess". Photo by Michele Meyers
Isabel Kraby plays Metallica's "The Unforgiven" after she had heard them at Welcome to Rockville in Daytona Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Dina Koulouris is a member of the Seabreeze vocal ensemble and AMT. She sings "All I Ask" at the Mr. and Miss Seabreeze pageant. Photo by Michele Meyers
Contestant Brandon Rodriguez plays "Songbird" on the saxophone. Photo by Michele Meyers
Yasmeen Amar sings and dances the song "Dreams come True". Photo by Michele Meyers
Lissa Plude is part of Seabreeze's AMT and vocal ensemble. She sings"Favorite Crime" at the Mr. and Miss Seabreeze contest. Photo by Michele Meyers
Taylor Bates sings "True Love" at the Mr. and Miss Seabreeze pageant. Photo by Michele Meyers
Annabella Olivari started the Pocket Bear Club and even gave principal Earl Johnson a few bears to help him have a better day. She sings "In My Dreams" at the evening show. Photo by Michele Meyers
Molly Johnson dances "Someone You Loved". She plans to get accepted into FSUs international dance program. Photo by Michele Meyers
TJ Stalling raps a Nicki Minaj Mashup at the Mr. and Miss Seabreeze pageant. Photo by Michele Meyers
Jillian Loutzenhiser sings "She used to be Mine" at the Mr. and Miss Seabreeze pageant. Photo by Michele Meyers
Michael Hayes sings and plays the Foo Fighters' song "Times Like These". Photo by Michele Meyers
Michael Hayes, TJ Stalling, Dean Holland, Brandon Rodriguez and Reynaldo Gonzalez thank pageant director Christina Bridgeman for her involvement with the show. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mr. and Miss Congeniality Brandon Rodriguez and Isabel Kraby. Photo by Michele Meyers
TJ Stalling teaches principal Earl Johnson a little attitude. Photo by Michele Meyers
Marin Houck is crowned Miss Seabreeze 2022-2023. Photo by Michele Meyers
Brandon Rodriguez, Michael Hayes and Reynaldo Gonzalez backstage. Photo by Michele Meyers
Miss Seabreeze 2022-2023 Marin Houck. Photo by Michele Meyers
Miss Seabreeze 2022-2023 Marin Houck. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze High School auditorium was abuzz with activity. Last minute technical and backstage checks were executed. The pageant judges took their seats at desks located directly behind the audience each equipped with a small light for note taking. Curtain time was near for “The Greatest Show”—the theme of this year’s Mr. and Miss Seabreeze pageant.
Juniors at Seabreeze have participated in the time-honored tradition dating back to the 1940s. Each contestant must adhere to strict guidelines regarding submission deadlines, auditions and practices which is part of the “responsibility” requirement and equal to a maximum of five points. Prior to the evening performance, they had to submit a biography and be interviewed by the judges. Seabreeze students cast their votes for their favorite contestant, worth a maximum of 10 points.
Fifteen competitors took the stage and opened the contest with a choreographed number based on “The Greatest Showman” before being introduced to the audience. Most of the students are involved in American Music Theater, Seabreeze choir, vocal ensemble, jazz, concert and marching band along with a myriad of other clubs and programs offered at the school. The students must be motivated academically, as well as have a desire to be ambassadors for Seabreeze High School.
“Aren’t you so proud of all these contestants,” Seabreeze High School Principal Earl Johnson asked the crowd. “They did a phenomenal job. It is very difficult for these talented students to get in front of their peers, which it was a full-house this morning, and their friends this evening to perform as well as they have done.”
Following the performances, the 10 finalists were announced and Johnson asked each of them an impromptu question. Isabel Kraby was first to face Johnson who glibly asked the name of the Heisman Trophy winner in 1982, then quickly added that he was kidding. He queried Kraby about her cat Max and asked her what advice she would give to an incoming freshman.
“I would say, from the start, get involved in anything you can,” she said. “If you want to do something even slightly, just do it. You’re going to make a bunch of friends. You’re going to find out what you like that way.”
Kraby won the Miss Congeniality award. The title of Mr. Congeniality was bestowed upon Brandon Rodriguez.
The current Mr. Seabreeze Tommy Bunch and Miss Seabreeze Lila Massebeau gave a farewell performance before crowning the next Seabreeze royalty — Michael Hayes and Marin Houck. Even though Hayes’ decision to enter the pageant was impulsive, he started believing in the possibilities when his inspiration Pierce Casey won two years ago.
“The last couple days, I was like, it’s my junior year, I’m only in high school once so I might as well go for it,” he said. “Mr. Seabreeze has always been a prestigious event but when Pierce Casey won it two years ago, I thought, ‘I’m going to try my best.’”
Hayes started as a drummer in elementary school and learned how to play the piano followed by the saxophone. His grandfather taught him how to play guitar which he chose to use in his performance of the Foo Fighters’ song “Times Like These”.
Houck has been performing for five years thanks to encouragement and voice lessons from her piano teacher. She played the piano and sang “Summertime” from the opera “Porgy and Bess”.
“I told my family don’t be shocked if I don’t win because the competition is incredible,” she said. “I was just so shocked when I heard I was the last finalist. I couldn’t believe I won.”
