Homecoming has been a tradition that has looked the same for many years at OHS, even at the new building things have not changed much. Remnants of old traditions are still around, like the coronation of Homecoming king and queen. This year’s royals will be the first at the new OHS. As usual, the weeks leading up to the coronation are filled with much excitement throughout the school. On Monday, Sept. 25, at 7:00 p.m., students anxiously awaited to hear who the homecoming king and queen would be at the coronation.
The Top 12 were proudly heard over the intercom on Sep. 8, queen candidates included seniors: Molly Achterkirch, Anna Cox, Makenna Neumann, Elizabeth Radel, Kathryn Sande, Carsyn Brady, Victoria Contreras, Mariah Cueller, Laken Meier, Zoie Roush, Ava Otto and Emma Johnson. King candidates included seniors: Faisal Farah, Jacob Ginskey, Henry Hilgendorf, Torrin Smith, Jack Strom, Mitchell Seykora, Ashton Kraus, Thomas Herzog, Caleb Dibble, Jackson Degrood, Owen Beyer and Ethan Armstrong. Those 24 students will put on a coordinated dance at the Homecoming game on Friday, Sep. 29, during halftime.
As the voting advanced on Friday, Sept. 15 at the Homecoming pep fest, students filled the gym excited to hear who would be in the Top 5. The cheer team led the pep fest off with a performance, announcements for homecoming were made, and finally the top 5 were announced. The Top 5 nominees for both queen and king were seniors: Achterkirch, Cox, Neumann, Radel, Kate Sande, Ethan Armstrong, Faisal Farah, Jacob Ginskey, Henry Hilgendorf and Torrin Smith. The last round of king and queen votes closed out on Sept. 21, at 2:50 p.m.
Coronation is also the first major event at the Wenger Performance Auditorium. The night began with emcees Norah Kath and Kennedy Katzung giving an overview of Homecoming events. Then OHS gave a thank you to the royal blue, silver and white sponsors. After that a video of last year’s alumni king and queen said a word. Casie DeVos, student council adviser, said, “Norah and Kennedy were our masterminds of the whole piece and they wanted to create this elegant look but bring in the school pride.”
After much anticipation, OHS crowned their Homecoming King Jacob Ginskey and Queen Anna Cox.
Cox shared her initial feelings during the crowning. Cox said, “It was so surreal I was not expecting it, it’s really such an honor.” Cox is involved in FFA, SHOC and runs for cross country and track. As this tradition is chosen by the students of OHS Cox said, “I try my best to be well rounded and involve myself, but all the girls that were surrounding me deserved this as well.”
Ginskey expressed his thanks and said, “I was grateful it’s a great group of boys and great group of girls. I was just thankful I was chosen.” Ginskey is involved in football, track, basketball, NHS, SHOC, DECA, Rotary and Big Brothers Big Sister.
OHS is launching off an exciting week filled with dress up days and game nights to show the Husky pride before the Homecoming dance on Saturday, Sep. 30 at 9 p.m.
