On Feb. 11, the biennial Mr. Pascack Hills competition returned to celebrate and crown the staff member and student with the “freshest” state of mind. 

The Mr. Pascack Hills competition, a lively and entertaining event that unites the community to promote positive thinking and mental health, was recently hosted in the Pascack Hills Auditorium by staff members Ed Sandt and Eric Ganz. The event featured some of Hills’ “freshest” seniors and staff members, including:

​Senior Students

Elijah Chen

Jake Szabo

Ryan Lafferty

Michael McKay

Colin Herrington

Carson Boffa

Vazyl Adams

Matt Merlino

Cody Jones

Teachers

Mr. DeRosa

Mr. Bucco

Mr Marini

Mr. Salgado

At around 7 p.m., students poured into the auditorium, filling it with chatter and excitement as participants prepared to showcase their “freshness.” Before the actual competition began, the audience was shown an introductory video, which paid tribute to seniors Brooke Dryerman and Joe McNiece, two beloved members of the school community who are deeply missed.

Then, Mr. Sandt and Mr. Ganz kicked off the video, explaining the slogan “Fresh is a state of mind” while incorporating hilarious moments into it, lightening up the mood. As the video came to an end, all participants were interviewed, giving a glimpse of what the audience was about to see.

The competition began with walk-up style introductions. Each participant expressed their individual “freshness” through their style and responses to on-stage interview questions. The crowd was absolutely thrilled and expressed support for every individual as they were introduced.

A panel of judges, picked prior to the event, rated the entrances and styles of each contestant, deciding who was the freshest of all. The judges rotated every 4 entrances and performances and gave their opinions publicly on the freshness of participants. These ratings from the judges served to evaluate the final score of each contestant.

After the entrances, performers took the stage and revealed their “fresh” talents. These performances consisted of songs, dances, cooking shows, musical instruments, and even a wedding. The audience did not hesitate to express their satisfaction, supporting each performer and making it a memorable night for everyone involved.

Ultimately, the show had to come to an end, and judges had to make the tough decision on which staff member and senior to crown as the Mr. Pascack Hills 2026. After spending some time behind the curtains, leaving the audience in suspense, the judges had made their decisions.

For the staff members competing, the newest participant to the competition and the school, Biology Teacher Thomas DeRosa, was given the Mr. Pascack Hills title.

For the student participants, senior Elijah Chen won, flattering the judges with his outstanding performance on rollerblades.

Nonetheless, every participant was recognized for their outstanding courage to take the stage and give an amusing performance.

When hosts Sandt and Ganz were asked what their overall visual and intention was for the Mr. Pascack Hills competition, they explained that they aimed to give the Pascack Hills community a chance to relive and enjoy events that they used to have back in high school in the 1980s.

“The vision was to bring to Pascack Hills an ‘old school’ good time filled with freshness. A night where everyone can get away from their all too consuming phones and entertain themselves the way we did in the mid 1980’s when I was in high school: by interacting and laughing with their friends about simpler times and simpler pleasures,” says Ganz.

When asked about his recent win as the staff member at Mr. Pascack Hills, DeRosa replied that it has been amazing, and he has felt so welcomed by the Pascack community.

“I have felt welcomed here since my first day in March of last year. And since then, this has just felt like the biggest welcome I’ve gotten so far. It’s so nice to be a part of this community. It was absolutely a great event.” DeRosa explained.

And most importantly, our senior winner, Elijah Chen, explained his overall evaluation of the event. He highlighted how the event was as spectacular as it turned out because of the supportive peers in the auditorium. He also encouraged students and staff to eliminate the fear of judgment and to just put themselves out there.

“Something I will never forget was how supportive everyone was. I was completely shocked at how packed the auditorium was! Everyone was cheering for each other and having a good time. I felt so proud of being a Pascack Hills student, surrounded by such supportive peers.” Chen explained.

“Fear is like mold; how can you be fresh when you’ve still got mold holding you back? I think fear of judgment holds back the potential of a lot of students. But how Fresh would Pascack Hills be if everyone were as supportive of each other as we were that night?” he added.

Overall, the show was a success. Laughter and smiles filled the room for the entire event, and it has certainly become clear that Mr. Pascack Hills brought the school together. If you were not able to make this year’s show, do not miss it next time. See you there in two years!