As high school traditions continue to evolve, one constant has remained— the senior class is the main event. Whether it be students applying to be on May Court or teams competing to win the Amazing Race, seniors are consistently given numerous opportunities to get involved in school events. While the same can’t be said about other grades for those productions, this year ASB adviser Blake Williams set out to create a new opportunity for all grade levels. 

Taking the place of the former senior pageant, Mr./Ms./Mx. West Linn, West Linn’s Got Talent is a team-based contest composed of two to four representatives from school organizations. The tradition of dressing up and carrying around buckets to collect donations from Mr./Ms./Mx. West Linn will continue, with the addition of getting judged for points by faculty. By participating in the competition, teams have the opportunity to raise funds, with half going back to their club and the other half to the Good Neighbor Center, a charity organization dedicated to helping individuals facing housing insecurity. 

“In years past in November and December, you guys have done five or six charitable drives, which is great, but there’s so many that kids didn’t even know [the drives] were going on,” Williams said. “So this year we did two, canned food and then [West Linn’s Got Talent]. All the proceeds that we raise and the things we collect are going to go to the Good Neighbor Center, which is a place that helps families who might not have housing or food, especially in the winter.”

Starting her first year on the job, Williams was told to focus on increasing inclusion and equity through ASB’s general activity agenda. 

“A lot of our events were if you asked [for] a description from the class, it started with ‘seniors compete, seniors compete, seniors apply to compete,’ and I’m like, ‘Why are all of these events senior based?’” Williams said. “ A lot of times it’s only seniors who apply anyway because they’re the only ones who are brave enough, but do we really have to truncate it to just seniors?” 

Seven teams are entering West Linn’s Got Talent ranging from affinity groups such as MEChA as well as varsity sport teams. With the team name “Las Mechistas,” the MEChA team is made up of Melissa Reyes, junior; Zoe Tupper, junior; and Francisca Brevis, freshman. 

“I do like the idea because it is gonna involve all the clubs and give some unity to the school,” Tupper said. “We have spirit week but now that we have a motive I think everyone’s going to participate more and it’s gonna be a lot more fun than spirit week just by itself. I’m excited to see everyone perform for the pageant and what they have to offer.”  

Alongside revamping the pageant, Williams is setting goals for years to come, aspiring to add non-elected positions to ASB and focusing on engaging students in future traditions. 

“Sometimes people who just genuinely want to help or give should have a place at the table,” Williams said. “Same thing with the pageant, by giving more students a chance to get their voices out there, hopefully the club’s validity on campus will go up too. So then people are like, ‘Oh, that club actually does stuff and that club is trying,’ and that will hopefully get those clubs to get more members as well.”

West Linn’s Got Talent judgings will be happening daily in the library at lunch, with the final pageant taking place on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center.