Junior Matt Scott takes second annual Mr. RHS crown
 
MOVE OVER ROCKETTES:  From left to right, Kenan Omurtag, Curt Kippenberger, Cliff Erwin, Felix Schmaschke and Matt Scott mover to the pop tune, "1999", at the second annual Mr. RHS.
by Cassandra Stevenson
    A grand prize of $100 dollars was awarded to junior Matt Scott, winner of the second annual Mr. RHS contest.  The Mr. RHS contest took place Thursday, Feb. 11, 1999 at the RMS auditorium.  With over 200 people in attendance, co-host Katie Mullin, junior, put it right when she said, "You may have to buy from a scalper out in the parking lot.”  The contest was, “Fun, lots of fun!,” Mrs. Storms, Student Council sponsor, said.
    The contestants and their sponsor were as follows: seniors Mr. Winter Guard Charles Canaday, Mr. Pep Club Morgan Acosta, Mr. Fifth Hour AP Calculus Jeff Lentz, Mr. Spanish Nick Turco.  Juniors Mr. Wrestling Curt Kippenberger, Mr. Latin Club Josh Flint, Mr. Stu-Co Kenan Omurtag, Mr. Rolla High Echo Cliff Erwin, Mr. Thespian Mike Hinton, Mr. English II Felix Schmaschke, Mr. Drama Matt Scott and Mr. German Club James Duehning.  Sophomore Mr. Seventh Hour Jazz Band Ryan Hedrick. 
    The contest started out with all 13 contestants performing their version of a Rockettes dance to “1999" which was written by the man formally known as Prince.  Next, each Mr. RHS candidate proved his worthiness to the title by performing a talent.  Among those talents displayed was Turco’s singing in the shower act, and Schmaschke's rap in German.  Acosta brought his girlfriend on stage and read poetry to her.  Scott danced to the song “Space Jam” and “flew” out of the auditorium (he jumped off the stage and ran out of the auditorium) during the song “I Believe I Can Fly” by R. Kelly.
    Afterwards, the contestants strutted their stuff in the towel contest.  For shock effect, Flint wore two towels when it was his turn causing “fright in the eyes of audience members as I dropped my first towel,” Flint said.  Lentz came out on stage with a wife beater on and attempted to rip it off, failed and just pulled it over his head.  Scott appeared wrapped in a bear rug-like towel.
The last event before the final cut was the eveningwear contest.  Even though most candidates wore their Sunday best suits, Omurtag went retro while Flint was dressed in a tuxedo with a cane and a top hat.  Scott was decked out in a one dollar, 70’s, satin, bell-bottomed, baby blue suit.
 

Matt Scott, Mr. RHS 1999.
    At this point, the judges, Mullin and junior Heather Estey, decided on three finalists, Turco, Hinton and Scott.  As the audience awaited their verdicts, Stu-Co projected a Power Point presentation composed of old pictures of all the Mr. RHS contenders.
    Each rival was then asked a question.  Turco was asked how he would help world hunger, Hinton was asked to predict his future, and Scott was asked how he would better the world.  “I would first win the lottery, then buy a million flower seeds and sprinkle them all over the world,” Scott said.
    In the end, Scott was dubbed Mr. RHS.  Turco received second runner up leaving Hinton with first runner up.  Scott “Never, ever, ever!” imagined himself as being Mr. RHS.  With his $100, Scott is going to, “Buy a $100 dollars worth of butterflies and spread them throughout the city.”  The school and community were blessed with yet another successful Mr. RHS.