When senior Alayna Woomer was crowned Homecoming Queen last Friday evening at Gray Field, her mom, Shana, was bursting with pride, as any mom would be.
But adding to Shana’s excitement for her daughter were her own memories of standing in that same spot nearly 30 years ago, when she was crowned the 1996 Tyrone High School Homecoming Queen.
“Watching Alayna being crowned was such a fun, exciting, and proud momma moment that I’ll never forget,” said Shana.
Alayna first learned that her mom had been the 1996 Homecoming Queen four years ago when she was a freshman. The two have always been close, so ever since, Alayna thought it would be a special tribute to follow in her mom’s footsteps. She put the goal in the back of her mind until senior year.
When the homecoming nominations were announced, Alayna was thrilled to be selected to represent the girls’ basketball team, but as one of 30 nominees, she didn’t actually expect to win.
But that dream became a reality when Alayna was named the TAHS Homecoming Queen, just like her mom.
“Whenever I heard my name called, in the pictures, my mouth was wide open. I was so excited, and I could hear my mother screaming her head off in the stands,” Alayna said.
According to Shana, the Homecoming Court has changed a lot since her senior year in 1996. At that time, it was a much simpler process.
According to Shana, homeroom teachers handed out a list with every girl’s name in grades nine through twelve. Students voted for freshman, sophomore, and junior princesses, as well as the senior queen.
“It was all done by popular vote,” Shana said. “Mrs. Patton was our school nurse, and a few of my friends were in her office hanging out when they announced the winners over the loudspeaker. I was in total shock when my name was read as the Homecoming Queen.”
On the night of the homecoming football game, the three princesses and the queen rode to the football field in convertibles decorated with handmade signs featuring their names and their escorts’ names. The parade began at the high school and ended at Gray Field, with the girls waving to the crowd from the tops of their cars.
The homecoming dance was held in the high school cafeteria immediately after the game.
Today, the homecoming court is much larger and the process is much more involved.
The nominees are limited to senior girls, but every sport, club, or extracurricular organization in the school can nominate one senior representative for Homecoming Court. This year, 30 girls were nominated.
Nominees then compete in five categories: Fundraising for the court’s chosen charity, creating a sash featuring the name of their club or sport, a judged interview, Spirit Week participation, and popular vote by all high school students.
The winners are kept secret until announced at Gray Field before the football game.
The selection process was changed from a straight popular vote to the current system to place more emphasis on school involvement and community service. All of the nominees are active in their clubs and teams, and many, like Alayna, participate in multiple activities.
“I am just so proud of Alayna,” Shana said. “Not just because she won the crown, but because she got to experience something so special with her friends and classmates. It’s something she’ll remember forever.”
Alayna said she hopes to be remembered as someone “who was kind and a good person to everyone.”
Shana’s advice to her daughter and to future homecoming court nominees is simple:
“Always be kind, and most definitely, above all, be yourself.”
