High School Hierarchy: Why do we have homecoming court?
![Avalon Johnson receives a "Homecoming Court" sash after her nomination as homecoming queen on September 26. Johnson joined her sister Sidney, who won sophomore homecoming princess, as a member of homecoming court. "When I saw my sister got [sophomore princess], I thought my mom was there for her," said Johnson. "Then when I got it, I was like 'oh my gosh, this is the only year we'll be in court together.' It was super special." Photo taken by Michaela Sanderson.](https://crimsonnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/IMG_3434.jpg)
Stunned, the junior princess makes her way through a sea of students to accept her sash and stand next to junior prince, Danny Miller.
“[Homecoming court] is honestly just a popularity contest, like who knows your name,” DeMarco said. “I’ve never seen it as anything that will get you anywhere in life. It’s a novelty; it’s just something to do, but I don’t see a reason to keep it around.”
Why perpetuate a myth that there can be social royalty in real life? The problem isn’t homecoming court. The problem is a system that glorifies status, elevating a few above the rest. What results is an unhealthy view of self-worth and of surrounding peers.
“In high school, it’s this transition period where you don’t really know who you are, or who you’re going to be, so I feel like homecoming court has an impact on kids’ self esteem,” junior Cheyenne Benton said. “I’m sure that makes them feel like they’re not worth it, [that] they’re not good enough, because there’s some kind of hierarchy.”
The members of homecoming court are unique individuals. But so is the nameless kid in the back row of the bleachers who silently hopes to be nominated as king; where’s his recognition?
“People should know that homecoming court [is] just a trivial thing,” Benton said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re the coolest or highest up, you’re still worth everything.”
It can be difficult for people to not find their self-worth in social constructs. According to stageoflife.com, “1 out of 2 teenagers state that they have personally struggled with mental illness at some point…ranging from depression to more severe forms.”
“There have been times where I personally have been [overwhelmed], and I look to everyone in my class and think, ‘everyone in here is so smart, and I can’t understand this concept,’ and in that moment, I feel so isolated,” Benton said. “I feel like small things perpetuate [the feeling of] worthlessness.”
People are worth far more than a high school hierarchy. The complexity and beauty of each individual is something that cannot be constricted to a high school tradition.
“Remember that you may not be the same as the person you’re sitting next to, but that doesn’t mean that you’re not worth it,” Benton said. “It doesn’t matter where you are now. Eventually, you’re going to find where you’re supposed to be.”
In homecoming court, affirmation is only offered to a few. That is truly what needs to change.
“Look to your friends, look to the experiences you’re getting in high school,” DeMarco said. “Don’t look to homecoming court; that’s not going to define you as a person. Who cares? You won, you got to wear a sash and a medal, good for you. [Make] memories you are going to remember from high school, rather than the fleeting ones like homecoming court that don’t really matter at all.”
Chad Keefer • Mar 19, 2015 at 11:32 am
Carrisa Arend argues that the Homecoming Court is a popularity contest that demeans students that are not recognized. She claims kids are hurt when they are not recognized for the homecoming court. Arend develops this claim by first inquiring various sources about how they felt about this topic. Arend continues by showing how high schoolers may react to the homecoming court and exploring how it may make them feel worthless. Lastly, the author explains how high schoolers can deal with their social problems by realizing that their experiences are what define them, not being or not being on the homecoming court. Carrisa Arend’s purpose is to show students how the homecoming court may affect other kids in order to help kids move past the pointless popularity contests. This work is significant because it explores how the homecoming court affects kids in high school.
Do you think that the homecoming court is a popularity contest that makes high schoolers feel worthless and unimportant?
Chad Keefer
Chad Keefer • Mar 19, 2015 at 11:14 am
Carrisa Arend argues that the Homecoming Court is a popularity contest that demeans students that are not recognized. She claims that by recognizing a select few to be part of the homecoming court, it makes the rest of students feel unimportant. Arend develops this claim by first inquiring various sources about how they felt about this topic. Arend continues by showing how high schoolers may react to the homecoming court and exploring how it may make them feel worthless. Lastly, the author explains how high schoolers can deal with their social problems by realizing that their experiences are what define them, not being on the homecoming court. Carrisa Arend purpose is to show students how the homecoming court may affect other kids in order to help kids move past the pointless popularity contests. This work is significant because it explores how the homecoming court affects kids in high school.
Do you think that the homecoming court is a popularity contest that makes high schoolers feel worthless and unimportant?
Chad Keefer
Chad Keefer • Mar 19, 2015 at 10:46 am
Carrisa Arend argues that the Homecoming Court is a popularity contest that demeans students that are not recognized. She claims that by recognizing a select few to be part of the homecoming court, it makes the rest of students feel unimportant. Arend develops this claim by first inquiring various sources about how they felt about this topic. Arend continues by showing how high schoolers may react to the homecoming court and exploring how it may make them feel worthless. Lastly, the author explains how high schoolers can deal with their social problems by realizing that their experiences are what define them, not being or not being on the homecoming court. Carrisa Arend purpose is to show students how the homecoming court may affect other kids in order to help kids move past the pointless popularity contests. This work is significant because it explores how the homecoming court affects kids in high school.
Do you think that the homecoming court is a popularity contest that makes high schoolers feel worthless and unimportant?
Chad Keefer
Mr. E • Oct 21, 2014 at 10:36 am
Is there any correlation between Avalon’s picture here and her winning Homecoming Queen? Perhaps this publicity helped her win? Maybe in the future, you could advertise to potential kings and queens: “Want to win Homecoming King or Queen? Publicize with Crimson News to increase your chances of winning…all for $10 per picture or $5 per mention.” As Marx would say, everything’s money, right?
Oh, and btw, great line, Carissa: “People are worth far more than a high school hierarchy. The complexity and beauty of each individual is something that cannot be constricted to a high school tradition.” Wow…if not society or high school traditions, what would you propose for evaluating people’s worth?