This year a new event is being introduced to Westminster’s famous Spirit Week. Fun, quirky, and innovative, this event is full of surprises. Whether it’s an extreme love for orange chicken or the bedazzled kings costume, that I happened to see while I was interviewing Elenor Dana. Westminster’s Finest was introduced for the first time ever this year. But what is Westminster’s finest? “Westminster’s Finest is a charity event,” said Elenor Dana, a junior this year at Westminster, and who is leading the event. “Each contestant has picked a charity and basically they’ll represent that charity for a week leading up to donations. It will be like coin wars style donations.” Charities include: BWorks, an organization devoted to teaching and growing children so that they are ready to make a difference in the world, One Heart ministries, who help create a safe and loving home for foster children, and the Pujols Foundation, who help children and families with Down Syndrome etc.  

Westminster’s Finest has attracted a lot of unique ideas: “One of my favorite contestants is Nehemiah Oggini. He really, truly has a love for orange chicken and he really has found a way to work that into his entire persona.” This event is sure to be full of surprises. There are 11 contestants competing in Westminster’s Finest this year, including freshmen, William Dana, Nehemiah Oggini, Joseph Anderson, and Colby Albert, sophomore, Tyler Collison, Juniors Sayva Philips, Joshua Anderson, and Bell St. John, as well as seniors, Daniel Martin, Hayden Turley, and Caleb Moellenhoff.

So how do contestants compete? “It’s a pageant parody. We thought an event like this where people could goof off and raise money that way would be good for this year.” The pageant has 3 events: Formal Wear, where the contestants will be introduced and they will all dress up, and whoever is the best dressed will be the winner. Talent contestants will use a comedic talent to “speak towards who they are.” The last round is an interview, and the winner of the Interview becomes Westminster’s Finest. 

So what does it mean to be a winner? “Well, we wanted to avoid huge prizes just because it would not make sense to have those in a charity competition,” says Elenor, “so each contestant will get a free Chick-fil-A, and we are going to give the three main winners bouquets.” The real prize you get from participating in Westminster’s Finest is the money you get to donate to your chosen charity, as well as just having fun being silly and competing. The point of the competition is to help give money to organizations who have been suffering from a lack of helpers during the covid pandemic. 

Introducing a new event to Spirit Week is a big commitment but Elenor Dana has confidence that Westminster’s Finest will succeed. “I was super enthusiastic about it to start because it was brand new. But running a new thing at a school that really values tradition is kind of difficult. But I’m excited to see what we can make out of this event. I’m so grateful for all the people that applied and the constants.”