60 years between queens; Homecoming royalty share experiences

Homecoming has been a tradition at McNicholas since 1956. With the 2016 Homecoming marking the 60th Homecoming for McNicholas, seeing the perspectives of the 1st and the 60th queen show how the event has changed over the past six decades.

Before the 2016 Homecoming Dance, students participated in Spirit Week throughout the week of
Sept. 19, but for the first Homecoming Dance In 1956, Spirit Week was not celebrated. “The students would get ready for the dance by hanging up posters along the halls of nominees,” said Sandra King, McNicholas’ first Homecoming Queen.

“Homecoming is always a fun time of the year; it is really fun to spend time with classmates and friends. This dance was even more fun because I was on court, so I got to take part in more of the activities throughout the week,” senior Adrian Ell said. During halftime of the Homecoming game on Sept. 23, Ell was named Homecoming Queen for 2016. She was joined by senior Jonathan Hazzard who was named king. She said she was shocked at the announcement, considering she thought “everyone on the court was a good candidate and would have been a great choice.” King said she was also shocked when it was revealed she would be the Homecoming Queen in 1956.

“I was told I was to be queen early before the dance, because we had to find our own convertibles to ride in from McNicholas to our rivaling team for a football game. The ride was a parade,” King explained. King told the experience of the parade by sharing how a float was created for her to sit on during the ride. King also said that the women of the court were allowed to choose their own escorts; there were no kings in 1956. The Homecoming King did not become part of the tradition until 2002. King was very honored to be the very first Homecoming Queen for McNicholas, but also said that “it was something I did not expect.”
Both queens said they were grateful for being chosen by their peers as Homecoming Queens, and will always remember the experience. “Homecoming is a time in my life I will always cherish,” King said.