It’s that time of year again – the leaves are turning warm colors and regardless of the temperature, students are breaking out their fuzzy socks and sweaters. And, what was that? Oh yeah, football games are back. And along with football, comes the school’s alumni returning for the homecoming game.

“Homecoming is a time we all look forward to when everyone comes back together as a family to celebrate who we are and what we’re all about,” Principal Christine Simpson said. “It gives a kickoff to the school year that gets people motivated to be back. Having an event and a place to celebrate together sets up a great year.”

The activities surrounding homecoming provide students with a variety of ways to celebrate. If they can’t attend the parade, football game or Saturday dance, there are still options to participate in spirit week or vote for class representatives on the homecoming court. Each year, a duke and duchess are selected to represent each grade, and seniors nominate 4-5 candidates for king and queen. 2015 Homecoming Queen Sydney Lamanski said she enjoyed being involved in homecoming last year, and being chosen as a member of the court made a lasting impression on her.

“It’s something special,” Lamanski said. “Whether you win or lose, being a candidate for queen nominee is a unique experience.”

Each year, the past year’s king and queen come back to the homecoming game and pass down their crown during a halftime ceremony. 2015 Homecoming King Dustin Asbury said he is looking forward to the event.

“I feel like this will be my last responsibility to RHS,” Asbury said. “It’s a cool tradition. It’s going to be awesome to come back and kind of be in high school again.”

In 2011, the first royal moment took place, when Ed Butts and Victoria Leonardo represented their senior class as homecoming king and queen. Both were veterans of the field, with Butts playing on the football team as a running back, and Leonardo entertaining Raider fans as a Royals officer.

“It was amazing,” Leonardo said. “The best part about being on the court was representing the school as the first-ever queen.”

The next year, in 2012, Josh Petro and Marissa Naab, a long-time couple, took the crown. Although Petro could not take the field during the ceremony, he was able to accompany Naab to the Saturday dance.

“It was strange being in the middle of a circle of people with all of their eyes on us,” Naab said. “It was nice though, and I had a lot of fun with my classmates.”
Naab and Petro then passed on their crowns in 2013 to cross-country runner Trey Douthitt and Student Council President Hannah Bennett.

“The whole experience was awesome,” Bennett said. “Not many people can say they were the president and queen of their school.”

In 2014, Savy Escobar and Nathan Puckett were chosen as the king and queen. Escobar was class of 2015’s Ms. RHS and a cross country runner, and Puckett was the boys basketball captain and part of the PALs program.

“It was surreal because I never thought I would win a title like homecoming queen,” Escobar said. “To know people I went to school with thought I deserved that honor made feel special.”

Former royalty say that homecoming nominees will cherish this recognition for years to come. Their advice is for students to appreciate the entire process.

“Enjoy it,” Asbury said. “It’s a cool experience to be honored at the pep rally and to go down on the field at halftime, even if you don’t win.”

Whether attending homecoming as a fan, a member of the court or an alumni, it is always a special time. The pageantry leading up to the event creates memorable moments for all. One thing that sets this year apart from others, is having a new principal to lead students in their preparation for the event.

“I anticipate homecoming as another great example of how involved our students are in showing their school pride,” Simpson said. “You can see it, you can feel it. It’s been something I have enjoyed and admired about the Rouse community. I can’t wait to see and feel that energy at an elevated level, that’s so much about who we are.”