Academy Awards, originally known as Mr. NDA, will take place December 3 at 7 p.m. in the NDA auditorium. 

Fifteen junior and senior contestants chosen by the student body will compete for the crown won last year by Chelsey Martinez, now a student at St. Norbert College.

“The Academy Awards is such a good time, and I am ready to do my best to make people laugh,” said Jason VandenHouten, who competed in the show last year as a junior.

To begin the show most of the contestants create a video and walk out with their rampeteer, then the talent portion starts and the show ends with a Q & A session led by Mr. Matthew Schultz.

While the show is taking place, four top-secret student judges, chosen by advisers working on the show, and a panel of teachers judge the contestants on their entrance with formal wear donated by Men’s Wearhouse, their talent, and their answer to the Q & A.  

This year the student body voted in Emerson Aitkin, Danica Smullen, Jason VandenHouten, Michael Blake, Joe Otradovec, James Shade, Fawzi Abujamra, Elliot Bordini, Eli Bieker, Pablo Cuene, Beckett Chambers, Josh Mentzentine, Julian Greendeer, Stanley Smith and Tate Milton. 

“I have a pretty good feeling about what I am doing for my act and video, but it is not set in stone yet. I am going to keep it confidential for now, but I can give one hint: BOOGIE,” said VandenHouten. 

Tate Milton started to brainstorm ideas in September because he thought there would be a high chance of his getting voted back into the show. 

Each contestant is assigned a freshman or sophomore rampeteer to walk out with them in the beginning of the show and assist them during the Q & A. The rampeteers were drawn on the Morning Show by Mrs. Holly Hinch, one of the coordinators of the show. 

Fifteen seniors auditioned to emcee the popular event. Anna Hunt and Emily Hoeppner, selected by a panel of staff members, will introduce the contestants and acts. 

Tickets will be sold during lunches the week of the show, first to the seniors, then to the juniors, then to the sophomores, and finally to the freshmen. On Friday, everyone in the community will be able to purchase tickets. 

Sales from tickets will defray the cost of prom for the junior and seniors. 

Green Bay Floral and Greenhouse will donate a single rose for the rampeteers, a big floral bouquet for the winner and corsages for the emcees.