Who is the most charming beau in Bermuda?

The Island will find out on Sunday at the Alpha Beautillion hosted by the Bermuda Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

The six-month beautillion programme polishes up young men, ages 16 to 18, through workshops, community service, networking and public speaking classes.

It culminates in a beautillion, where participants demonstrate their speaking skills and talents.

The winner of the event receives a $5,000 scholarship. The runner-up receives $3,000, and third place gets $2,000. All other participants receive $1,000 bursaries. The young men then travel to New York for a leadership programme this summer.

Dylan Wilson, 18, CedarBridge Academy

Dylan Wilson always wanted to join a fraternity in college because he liked the way they helped charities, supported each other and held fun parties. His counsellor suggested he get involved in fraternity work now, through the Alpha Beautillion programme.

“I thought it would be a good experience and would help improve my public speaking skills,” he said.

His goal is to own his own business or work in finance.

“The programme was great because it allowed me to network with people in business who might be able to help me one day,” he said.

The fraternity’s link with Toastmasters helped him hone his public speaking skills. He can apply for membership in Alpha Phi Alpha when he enters Barry University in Florida in September.

Marcus Henschke, 18, Berkeley Institute

Marcus Henschke never imagined himself feeding an elderly person or sharing his day with them.

But that’s exactly what he had to do as a requirement for the Alpha Beautillion.

“We volunteered at the Matilda Smith Williams Seniors Home,” said the senior school head boy. “Once I did it I enjoyed it. It helped me realise that it is great to give back to others.”

He was asked to join the programme by staff at the Berkeley Institute.

“I didn’t know what it was, but didn’t want to say no,” he said. “I decided to dive in and see what it was like. Once I started I enjoyed what I was doing.”

The most challenging aspect of the programme was coming out of his shell and speaking publicly.

“I feel like I have matured as a person,” he said. “It has allowed me to better myself, and give myself to others.”

He will enter St John’s University in New York as a sophomore in September, thanks to a link his high school has with the Bermuda College.

David Darrell, 17, Warwick Academy

David Darrell is holding his head a little higher thanks to the Alpha Beautillion programme.

“It has really helped me to gain confidence,” he said.

The Warwick Academy head boy is one of Bermuda’s budding track stars and represented the Island in the Carifta Games in March.

“For me, the challenge has been getting used to everything and everyone in the programme,” he said.

He initially found volunteering with older people daunting.

“It was good though,” he said. He hopes to become a lawyer, maybe in the risk management field.

“The programme has given me the chance to network with people in the business community,” he said. “I have been able to get a step in the door with people I might work with someday.” He still has a year left at Warwick Academy.

Evin Mosley, 17, Mount St Agnes Academy

Evin Mosely doesn’t like losing. He has represented his school in basketball and volleyball on and off the Island.

Now he is determined to be the winning beau.

“I am competitive,” he said, “but I never let it bring myself down. I try to lift my team-mates up with me. You get a better result when everyone is having fun.”

He enjoyed the camaraderie of all the young men in the Alpha Beautillion.

“The most challenging thing was balancing the demands of the programme with my schoolwork and sports activities,” he said. “It was tough, but it has been a good experience so far. I am enjoying it. I feel like I have grown as a person.”

He appreciated the opportunity to network with people around Bermuda.

In September, he is hoping to study law in England, at either the University of Redding or the University of Surrey.

Zaren Bennett, 17, Bermuda Institute

Zaren Bennett loves music — he plays six instruments.

“Music comes easily to me,” said the head boy of the Southampton school.

Staff there asked him to represent the student body in the Alpha Beautillion.

“The school saw leadership potential in me,” he said.

The most challenging thing about the programme was balancing his schoolwork with all its requirements, the teenager said.

“I did not know it was going to be this much work but it has been a lot of fun,” he said. “I was very nervous about public speaking, and now I am more open about it and it comes more naturally. Toastmasters helped me a lot.”

He hopes to study biomedical science at Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama, and minor in music.

Eventually he would like to return to Bermuda as a doctor.

Tahj Cox, 17, Saltus Grammar School

Tahj Cox dreams of putting people to sleep one day as an anaesthesiologist.

One of his teachers at Saltus Grammar School suggested he’d be an ideal candidate for the Alpha Beautillion.

“The most challenging thing about the programme has been time management,” he said.

The teenager feels that taking part in the Alpha Beautillion has helped him to grow up a bit.

“It has helped me become more independent,” he said. “The community service was also pretty good. I had never worked with elderly people before.

“I am glad that I did the programme. It is a very tight competition and I think it will be challenging.”

He has one more year left at Saltus Grammar School.

Tariq Brown, 17, Impact Mentoring Academy

Tariq Brown has wanted to be part of the Alpha Beautillion ever since he attended as a guest a few years ago.

“My mentor and counsellor, Michael Lima, said don’t worry, you’ll do that when you’re old enough,” he said. “So I always knew I was going to do it.”

Like many of his fellow participants, finding the time for the programme was the challenge.

“I have gained a lot of friends from it.” he said. “The [others] are amazing. I have also enjoyed networking with people from companies like XL and Cablevision. The programme has allowed me to meet people who are where I want to be.”

He found the volunteer work at Matilda Smith Williams Seniors Home exciting, as his dream is to become a psychologist.

“I have done stuff like that at the Packwood Home,” he said, “and I have helped out at Tomorrow’s Voices, a charity for autistic children. I think I probably want to work with children ages 15 to 18, but I’m not sure yet.”

• The Alpha Beautillion takes place Sunday at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts. Doors open at 5pm and the show starts at 5.30pm. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased from Brown & Co on Reid Street or People’s Pharmacy on Victoria Street.