This years’ Mr. TJ ends with great success and the crowning of senior Marcus Allen.
Senior Marcus Allen and his Emcee Braelah McGinnis celebrate the win at the 2013 Mr. TJ
Photo from Rachel Uyemura and artwork by Aspen Anderson
On Friday April 5th, Thomas Jefferson held its annual Mr. TJ pageant. Like many years before, twenty student-selected contestants competed against each other in the hopes to obtain the prestigious title of Mr. TJ.
TJ Community Member Kathy Wells, the Mr. TJ organizer, managed to once again put on an amazing show. Wells has been involved with TJ and has had the privilege of being the organizer of Mr. TJ for the past 13 years. “I think this years’ show was incredible! The amount of talent, charisma, character and work ethic in this bunch was unmatched,” said Wells.
This year the show consisted of several different factors that would decide who would be crowned Mr. TJ, including a talent, their answer to a personalized question, the Macho Man introduction dance, the well known Rose-Ceremony, and Spartan wear. “Their Macho Man dance was flawless, their formal wear portion was everything from romantic to hilarious to plain old genius, and the talent portion was off the wall!” said Wells.
Like many suspected it would be, this year’s Mr. TJ was none other than Senior Marcus Allen. “Mr. TJ was amazing! At first I was really scared and worried that all of my hard work and dreams for about the past six years were going away, and that I wasn’t going to be Mr. TJ, but my awesome escort Geneva Gaines calmed me down,” said Allen.
According to Allen, winning Mr. TJ has been a lifelong dream that he has been preparing for over several years. “As I fell to the floor after they announced the runner up, I realized that I had won the thing that I’ve wanted to win ever since I came to TJ, ever since I went to my first Mr. TJ when I was in sixth grade,” Allen commented.
Wells says she was proud of all the contestants. “If I could change anything about this years’ Mr. TJ show, it would be to crown all 20 of these contestants as Mr. TJ. They are all kings in my book, but Marcus wanted the crown more than anyone, and for longer than any other contestant. So here’s to you Mr. Allen, ‘Congratulations and way to go!’” said Wells.
Among the other winners was Matthew Fabian, the Editor-in-Chief of the TJ Journal, who was voted this year’s Mr. Congeniality. “Mr. TJ was awesome! I had no idea that I was going to win Mr. Congeniality. I heard some rumblings about it, but it’s just one of those things that I was actually very surprised by. It just means my peers enjoy my presence and who I am as a person,” said Fabian.
With the promotion to a district level position and subsequent departure of Principal Sandra Just and all the controversy surrounding the Mr. TJ pageant, some are speculating that this could officially be the last show. “As far as I know, three quarters of the teaching staff would like to do away with this show. I have told everyone that I would do this show until I physically couldn’t. It gives me an opportunity to work with the greatest kids in the world and I am so thankful for them,” commented Wells. “I would like to thank TJ for allowing me to be the organizer of this important historical show. Not only does this give the gentlemen something to look forward to in their senior year, but it also raises at least $2500 in one night to fund the After-Prom. That assures a safe haven to keep our students alive and well on Prom night.”
Wells’ hard work and dedication has provided students with something to look forward to during their senior year. “There is honestly no replacing Ms. Wells; she has been the meaning of Mr. TJ for the last however many years they have been doing Mr. TJ. There is no replacing Ms. Wells, and frankly there is no replacing Mr. TJ,” said Fabian.
