Talan Tabares is a senior at Emporia High School who considers the experience a joy to be a part of a long-lasting tradition that is established in many high schools all over the U.S. He never thought he would be nominated, so he feels honored to participate in an event like this. Tabares is in Cross Country, Track, and Wrestling, a member of NHS, and NTHS. He believes the most important skill in a homecoming candidate is to have a positive impact on EHS and that their personality contributes to it. He believes that he has that personality and great leadership skills and that his personality is great quality. “I’m not too much of a leader by nature but I am able to take leadership roles and try my best to do a good job whenever I am given the opportunity”. To Tabares, being crowned with the title of homecoming king would make him proud of himself and the accomplishments he’s made so far. He thinks that if he won, he would have been a great example to his peers. Tabares doesn’t 100% believe that winning the homecoming king/queen title is very important in the long run of high school experience. He thinks that since it’s an annual tradition, it’s easy to get lost in that wave. He does find it to be a great honor to even be nominated in the first place though, and he is extremely grateful. 

Rebecca Snyder is a senior at EHS. As one of the nominees, she believes that it’s a great opportunity to be nominated for homecoming queen, which a lot of other high schoolers don’t get, and she enjoys getting to do it with all of the other candidates. She believes the most important quality in a homecoming candidate is to be able to walk up to people and say ‘Hi’ and be social. She thinks you have to know a lot of people, but even if she doesn’t know someone personally, she knows they’re an EHS student so they already have that importance. The skills she has to make her a good nominee are that she’s come out of her shell over the years and is more social. “I’ve gotten a lot more social throughout high school. Freshman year I was terrified, even sophomore year we weren’t really here a lot. Junior year, I tried to make it a thing to talk to more people and get to know more people and change my idea of high school.” Snyder believes it would be an honor to be homecoming queen and it’s an honor that she’s even a homecoming nominee, but that’s something she’s not really expecting. Snyder also believes that winning the title of homecoming queen probably won’t matter much in the future, but that right here, right now, it shows the respect between the students and peers. Snyder is a member of Circle of Friends, Spartan Club, French Club, Student Council, FBLA, is a board member for GSA and Fem Club, and is a team member of the Basketball, Volleyball, and Track.

Journey Walburn is a senior at EHS. Walburn is honored to be nominated for court and highly appreciative of the students for voting for her on the court. Walburn has been very involved at EHS all throughout high school and hopes that others will get involved also. Walburn has been involved in Gymnastics and Cheer for 4 years, Track for 2, a member of Circle of Friends, Spartan Club, KAY Club, Fem Club, FBLA, FFA, and also involved in Life Church and Radical Life.

Jonathan Laudie is a senior here at Emporia High and is involved with multiple extracurricular activities. Laudie plays a huge role at EHS in general, but he is currently rehearsing for his role as Lumiere for the EHS musical production Beauty and the Beast. He thinks that through the experience of being nominated, he wants to be a good example to his peers and siblings. Laudie believes the most important qualities in being homecoming king are to be able to treat everyone kindly regardless of their status and to sympathize with them. When asked about what it would mean to him personally to win the title of homecoming king, he says “Well I know for a fact I won’t ever be bragging about walking on the moon, but I figure homecoming king would be pretty cool too.” Laudie believes that being homecoming king is important at this stage in life because homecoming titles are one of the few nominations that depend entirely on student votes! Laudie throughout high school has been involved in Cross Country, Track and Field, Chorale, competes in the Susan Reinhardt Piano Festival, and is the Lead guitarist in his band.

Fred Jackson is a senior at EHS. Jackson said that it was a complete shock that he got the candidate nomination because there were a lot of deserving people in the pool for candidates. Jackson has been very heavily involved in the school throughout all of high school and has been a leader for many of the clubs and sports he is involved in. Jackson is in Football, Basketball, Track and Field, Power Club, Spartan Club, Senior Class Representative, FBLA, Circle of Friends, Recycling Club, and youth group.

Eliazbeth Willhite is a senior at EHS. She said that high school can be a very stressful place but homecoming is a fun opportunity for all students to enjoy. She had no idea that she would be nominated for court but was very appreciative of everyone who voted for her. She believes she was nominated because of all the activities and clubs she’s involved in. Willhite believes it would be wonderful to know that her peers see her as a leader, and a good fit for homecoming queen. Willhite is a member of GSA, Spartan Club, KAY Club, Circle of Friends, Student Council, NHS, NTHS, and on the Cross Country and Track teams. 

Bobby Trujillo is a very active senior athlete at EHS. Trujillo believes the reason he was nominated is because he is outgoing and builds relationships with his peers. Trujillo is a member of FBLA and competes in Football, Wrestling, and Baseball. Trujillo has been very involved at EHS and has been a leader on the teams he is a part of. He is looking forward to is representing all the students in his class throughout the seasons. Football has been his first love since he was young.  After high school, Trujillo would like to play at the next level.

Arianna Hamilton is a senior at EHS. She knew but wasn’t certain during the assembly that she was nominated for homecoming because she was aware that people voted for her. Hamilton thinks she was nominated because of her big roles at EHS. She’s very involved with the clubs and sports run here, and she said how it would be nice to win homecoming because of all the hard work she has put in these past years with the different activities she’s been involved in. Hamilton is the President of Circle of Friends, President of Spartan Club, Vice President of GSA, in NTHS, FBLA, KAY, Power Club, Volleyball, Basketball, and Swim.

Angel Aldrete is a senior at Emporia High School. Angel is honored to have the opportunity to show the rest of the student body that it’s possible to achieve your goals, and he especially hopes to reach people like him to prove that you can succeed and to not let anyone’s judgment stand in your way. Angel thinks that leadership is the most important quality in a homecoming candidate and that you need to be able to take charge and be that role model for everyone else. Aldrete thinks he is a pretty good leader and knows how to make everyone’s voice heard and make everyone feel welcome. It would mean a lot to him to become homecoming king. He sees the opportunity of winning homecoming king as a last hurrah at EHS and feels like it’s important for the high school experience. Aldrete is the President of GSA, Vice President of Spartan Club, Executive Board Secretary for Student Council, Chair of Community Outreach, Chair of Homecoming Relays, member of KAY Club, Fem Club, French Club, and a part of Avid. 

Alison Brown is a senior at EHS. Brown has been heavily involved in many different organizations in the district. She feels that not everyone in the student body knows her but she hopes she can get to know most of them. Homecoming is something different and special to her because it is the only formal dance where they have candidates. She was unsure if she would become a candidate but is extremely grateful to be nominated. Brown believes that winning homecoming queen would mean that she has left a positive impact on the students at EHS. Brown is involved in Girl’s Swim team, Boy’s Swim Team Manager, Football Manager, NHS, NTHS, Circle of Friends, Student Council Treasurer, and Board of Education Committee Chair.