One of five Vineland High School seniors will be named "Miss Monogram" and reign over the annual Homecoming Day football game when VHS hosts Egg Harbor Township High School on Saturday, October 14 at Gittone Stadium.
The new queen, selected by voting in senior homerooms, will be announced at halftime.
The finalists are: Kelianne Burgess, Kylie Gonzalez, Nicoletta Giuliani, Morgan Harrell Alvarez, and Caryeen Hughes-Alves.
Burgess is the daughter of Amy and Greg Burgess. She is a senior captain of Vineland High School’s Fall Cheerleading Team and a four-year member of the VHS theater program, Cap N’ Dagger. She also manages the Varsity Boys’ Tennis team in the spring and helps with the kids' tennis camps during the summer. She has been dancing at Dina’s Dance Place for almost 14 years, taking Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern, and Pointe. Burgess is also enrolled at Rowan College of South Jersey, taking college classes along with her high school classes, where she is currently on track to earn an associate's degree in Biological Health Sciences at the same time as her high school diploma. Following graduation, she plans on attending college, majoring in Psychology, and earning her doctorate in the future to work with children in the medical field. She also plans on continuing to dance and participate in theatrical productions throughout college and after.
Gonzalez is the daughter of Kimberly Rivera and Danny Gonzalez. She is a four-year varsity letterman who has participated in Cheer, Softball, and Track and Field. She is currently a captain of the Varsity Cheerleading squad and was the captain of the Girls' Track Team last spring. She credits running track with helping to build her character. In her free time, Gonzalez enjoys playing sports and listening to all kinds of music. After graduation, she plans on attending college and majoring in criminal justice. She hopes to make a change within law enforcement and fight against the injustice in our world.
Giuliani is the daughter of Gina and Jeff Giuliani. She is a proud member of Vineland High School’s Varsity Singers as well as the Captain of the Girls’ Cross Country Team. She has been in Varsity Singers for two years, and the Captain of the Girls Cross Country Team for one year. Giuliani has also been a part of Cap N’ Dagger for all four years of high school, as well as a part of 13 the Musical in her sophomore year, and will be a part of Mean Girls the Musical this year. She has been in a school choir since the fifth grade, and had singing lessons since she was eleven. Additionally, she has taken dance for thirteen years. After graduation, she would like to attend RCSJ for two years, and then transfer to Rowan University to major in Business and Marketing.
Alvarez is the daughter of George Alvarez and Sharell Harrell. She is a member of Vineland High School's Softball team where she is a four-year varsity letterman and has been a starter for all four years of high school. She has been a team leader for three years while also playing Field Hockey for two of those three years. In addition to participating in athletics, she also helps out in the VHS athletic training room learning how to help people who are injured and in need of any easy taping or exercises. During her free time, she plays travel softball, traveling to different states to play. She also helps out with the Vineland Pigtail League with training camps and opening day. Alvarez tries to help as many girls as possible who are very driven in their sport at such a young age. After graduation, she wants to play college softball at the D1 level while studying to become an athletic trainer. She hopes to help kids with injuries and get them back to the sport that they love and dream of playing in the future.
Hughes-Alves is a winter and spring track athlete who has previously participated in cheer. She is very busy outside of school, where she spends much of her time volunteering with children. She is the captain of the Police Explorers, which she has participated in for four years. She truly enjoys helping people. Hughes-Alves also loves to dance and perform and is a huge part of school entertainment. She is part of the dance team, which performs at different events such as pep rallies, eighth-grade visitations, and group/veterans homes. After graduation, she plans to attend a four-year college to become a physical therapist. She has an interest in many fields, including working as a dance instructor, but becoming a physical sports therapist is her passion.
All seeking the title had to meet the following criteria:
• Member of the Monogram Club;
• Varsity letter (sports or band);
• Minimum 2.5 grade-point average;
• No suspensions; and
• Not on any ineligible list
The field was narrowed to five finalists after judging by a panel of teachers based on appearance, poise, speech (confidence, eye contact, and correct grammar), and quality of response to questions the contestants received in advance, said the advisors.
The Homecoming Event is sponsored by the VHS Monogram Club, established in 1950 by the late Anthony DiTomo, VHS Athletic Director at that time.
A parade will kick off the festivities at 11:30 a.m. in front of Christ the Good Shepherd (Sacred Heart) Church and end at Gittone Stadium. The procession will be traveling west along Landis Avenue, making a left onto West Avenue, then right onto Montrose Street before entering Gittone.
The football game vs. EHT will follow at 1 p.m., with Miss Monogram crowned at halftime.
Photos of contestants: https://bit.ly/3ZMP0JT