As homecoming week arrived, the annual comp day was held. Students and teachers played games, cheered, and competed. However, most seniors were waiting for the announcement of who would be on this year’s homecoming court.

“I was very surprised when my name was called. I was looking at my friends like ‘What the heck?’ and running down the stands,” senior Layan Hassan said. “Everyone in the stands was yelling and cheering for me. It was so nice and such a genuine happy energy.”

Many members of the court described the moment of being called down to be almost surreal, but also nerve-wracking.

“I was the first one to be called down so it was super nerve-wracking,” senior Gabby Boskovich said. “I wasn’t sure what to do, but I was really excited and I didn’t expect it.”

Some of the students who were elected asked classmates to vote for them while they were in school, or by posting to social media.

“I feel honored; it was a lot of fun. I ran for fun and I ended up getting elected,” senior Hector Cholagh said. “It was actually funny because the girl I ran with, Maryam, looked at me and said ‘We didn’t get it,’ then her name was called down next. Luckily, my named was called down after her when the guys were being announced, and after my name was called everyone around me started getting hype. It was a very surreal moment and I never expected it to happen, but it was great. I loved it.”

One contestant was not even interested in running at first, but it ended up being a good experience for him.

“It was really nice; it felt amazing,” senior Bradley Beauvais said. “I actually didn’t even want to at first. I kind of got peer pressured into it, but in a good way because it ended up being a good experience.”

Overall, the contestants enjoyed the cheering crowd as they ran down to the field.

“I felt so excited. I ran onto the field and everyone was cheering,” senior Sarah Fromm said. “I was just so excited to be on court with my friends and wear the sash all week.”

People who ended up on court got there by advertising themselves and everyone had different ways of doing so.

“I just posted it on my Snapchat story and Instagram story,” Beauvais said. “One girl I didn’t even know posted it, so that was cool.”

Social media is a strong way to advertise yourself, but sometimes word of mouth works just as well.

“I just walked around the school having fun and messing around telling people to vote for me,”  Cholagh said. “I posted it on my Snapchat story, too.”

One contestant even advertised herself on accident.

“I technically didn’t advertise myself,” Hassan said. “I posted it on my private story as a joke for me and my friends, but then one of them screenshotted it and reposted it. It honestly just blew up from there, so I went with it.”

Heading toward the end of homecoming week, the football game was held and the official king and queen were announced.

“I was really surprised. I literally had to do a double take,” senior Gabby Vansimaes said. “I really did not expect it.”

The king had a similar reaction to being chosen as homecoming royalty.

“I did not expect it because I heard Gabby get called down and I was sure her boyfriend, Andy, won. They called my name and I was in shock,” Cholagh said. “If they were recording me you would have seen my face drop. I thought it was crazy.”