Homecoming events are usually held in the beginning of the school year, but were postponed to the end of March this year due to COVID-19. The usual homecoming football game, spirit week, and school dance were modified to fit the guidelines of social distancing and only half of the school attending on campus classes.
(From left to right) Homecoming Court candidates Kyle Ramser, Lucy Mogan, Gracie Enslin, Elizabeth DeRuvo, Tanner Roth, Robbie Rees, Bella DeRuvo, Claire Duncan, and Katie Kosta pose in the San Marin parking lot before the Homecoming Parade.
The nominees for the king and queen made a COVID-friendly video that was played at the Senior Movie Night on the football field. They also performed a dance, similar to what is usually done at the school wide Homecoming rally. After the videos were shown, the seniors watched Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The following week, the entire student body watched the candidate videos and voted on Homecoming Queen and King. The leadership team announced Izagani Aquino and Gracie Enslin as the Homecoming King and Queen on Mar. 27, during the football game against Novato High School.
Homecoming King Izagani Aquino, and Homecoming Queen Gracie Enslin wear their crowns and sashes following their victory.
“It felt nice being on homecoming court,” Aquino said. “I was sort of surprised when it initially happened but it was nice to know that people wanted to nominate me… Of course it would have been nice if it wasn’t a COVID year so we could have done things normally, but I thought that the adapted activities helped provide a sense of normalcy for the school year. Making the video was fun and having some fun activities…”
Enslin agrees that while Homecoming brought back some sense of normalcy, it would have been better if this year was done the same as in the past. However, both understand that that could not have been done due to safety issues.
“Homecoming court was so fun!” Enslin said. “I was really honored and excited to do the activities that go along with it and hang out with all the other cool people on court!… Of course a part of me wishes it wasn’t a COVID year so we could’ve done a bigger parade and a real rally and bigger crowning, but I’m honestly just happy and grateful it got to happen at all and I think ASB did a great job at planning and executing everything safely!”
Enslin was particularly excited about winning Homecoming Queen because of her family.
“I think it’s always been something I thought would be so fun and like most little girls wanted to be a “queen” one day,” Enslin said. “My mom was San Marin homecoming queen in 1985 so I always wanted to be like her when I grew up.”
