New Bedford’s New Mr. Voc-Tech Spins His Way to Victory

Thirteen students brought their A-game to Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech on Friday, March 21, competing for the title of Mr. Voc-Tech.

The night was packed with personality, talent and plenty of entertainment as the competition unfolded, leading to the crowning of a new king.

A panel of five judges – Wadley DaSilva (GNB Voc-Tech Guidance Counselor), Navi Cabral (Teaching Assistant), Erica Lugo (2022 alumna and founder of Miss Voc-Tech), Deolinda Mendes (2021 alumna and Miss Fall River), and yours truly – had the tough task of narrowing down the field.

Get our free mobile app

When the dust settled, Joel Costa was named the People’s Choice winner, Aidan Buck took home the second runner-up spot, and Austin Burton secured the first runner-up position.

It was Vanilson Andrade, however, who stole the show, using his confidence and DJ skills to win the title of Mr. Voc-Tech 2025.

Gazelle/Townsquare Media

Moments after his victory, I caught up with Andrade to get his reaction.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” he said. “I appreciate everybody popping out. This was just a bunch of boys having fun, so we took the advantage, had a good time, and I appreciate all the people that helped make this happen.”

Andrade, who showcased his DJing talents during the competition, knew exactly how to work the crowd.

“I’ve been DJing for 10-plus years,” he shared. “This was just a normal thing for me. Not a lot of people know how to DJ, so I took that to my advantage. I had the crowd hyped up, I had my people behind me hyped up, and that’s how I am now Mr. Voc-Tech.”

The competition was a mix of humor, charm, and show-stopping performances. Contestants battled it out in various categories:

Casualwear – Judged on fashion sense, personality, and confidence.
Beachwear – Judged on poise, performance, and sense of humor.
Skit/Musical Talent – A chance to showcase unique skills through a skit, musical act, or similar performance. Judged on presentation, costume, and execution.
Formal Wear – Judged on poise, confidence, and how well contestants answered their final question.

Gazelle/Townsquare Media

From SNL-style skits to blindfolded drum solos and dance routines, the night delivered nonstop entertainment. In the end, it was Andrade’s electric stage presence that won over the judges and the crowd, earning him the 2025 Mr. Voc-Tech crown.

An unforgettable night for all, and a well-earned victory for Andrade.

SouthCoast School Districts with the Best Teachers

There are a lot of amazing teachers on the SouthCoast and as parents we appreciate them all. Yet one site asked students who they felt had the best teachers around and the results may surprise you.

Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall

Best SouthCoast School Districts For Athletes

There are lots of different ways to rank SouthCoast schools, student-to-teacher ratio, test score results and more. Though for hundreds of student-athletes, one way may mean more than others.

New school data from across the state has ranked schools by their sports programs and here is how school districts on the SouthCoast stack up.

Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall