Electing a Homecoming Queen and King is no small feat; it’s the job of students to determine who they want to represent the school. This year at State High, the quintessential tradition continues through another generation of students. 

The Homecoming Queen and King were determined by an online ballot. After being nominated to the Homecoming Court and then winning the final votes of State High students, Chloe Poindexter and Joshua Carlson were crowned the Homecoming royalty at the annual whiteout football game.

Homecoming Queen Chloe Poindexter is involved with State High athletics. 

“I am the captain of the girls cross country team. I’m also a part of indoor and outdoor track and field,” Poindexter said.

But her roots in the school community go deeper than that. Although she doesn’t have a specific message that she wants to spread by being on the court, her influence is heard through her dedication to the community.

“I am in the Spirit Council, the Black Affinity Group, and I’m also part of the district Comprehensive Planning Committee,” Poindexter said.

She did not expect to become a member of the Homecoming Court, let alone become queen. In fact, what ended in triumph originally began as a joke.

“At first it was kind of a joke with my friends, and then I got on the ballot, so it wasn’t really planned,” Poindexter said. “I also didn’t run with anyone,” she added. 

Poindexter and Carlson were not seen as a duo until the loudspeaker announcement was broadcasted over Memorial Field, where they were crowned Queen and King. 

Carlson is part of a variety of activities, but most notably, he is the Head Drum Major of the Marching Band. In addition to the drums, he plays french horn, trumpet, guitar, and is a member of several ensembles.

Other than music, he devotes a lot of time to athletics.

 “I am on the track team, the ski team at Tussey, I’m co-president of the disc golf club, and I think that’s it,” Carlson said.

For the marching band, winning Homecoming King is a tradition – Carlson is the third drum major in a row to be crowned. 

“It was sort of expected of me [to run for Homecoming King], so I just decided to go for it,” Carlson said. 

Although he posted a story or two on Instagram, he didn’t run a very serious campaign. “[I] got a lot of people in the marching band and other people to nominate me,” Carlson said.

Carlson had a great time being a part of the Homecoming Court. 

“It was super fun hanging out with the Homecoming Court in the few times that we did, and the parade was also awesome, it was really fun,” Carlson said.

Although Carlson  thoroughly enjoyed everything he was a part of, his favorite part of the Homecoming experience was being crowned. As a pat of the marching band, he is used to being under the Friday night lights, but this time, the focus was on him.

“Normally I would be in the marching band playing in the show, so it was fun to be out in front and listening to them play. It was just a fun moment,” Carlson said.

Honored at the homecoming parade, football game and dance, this year’s Homecoming King and Queen will go down in State High history.