Homecoming is a coming home of sorts. It is when alumni have a chance to visit their old stomping grounds to celebrate and reminisce about when they attended Durant High School. It is typically a week-long celebration that features spirit week, the Homecoming football game and concludes with the Homecoming dance. However, the one thing that everyone looks forward to is the crowning of the Homecoming King and Queen.

To become Durant’s Homecoming King or Queen, one must first submit a Homecoming court application. The majority of the applicants then campaign for themselves through social media posts and/or poster boards displayed around the school. Voting then takes place by the senior class to crown the two candidates with the most votes.

Everyone has their own reason for running for Homecoming Court. Homecoming King Spencer Wilson said, “I decided to run because it’s my senior year and I hadn’t ran for court before.”

Homecoming Queen Ayla Yebba said, “I’ve never participated in anything like Homecoming Court before but always liked the idea of it. I decided to do it senior year because it is my last year and I would like to be involved in as many school activities as possible.”

The crowning of the Homecoming Queen is done by the principal, Gary Graham, at the half-time show of the football game. Yebba was crowned Durant’s 2022 Homecoming Queen. “I was really surprised but humbled and honored at the same time. The whole announcement and the crowning happened so fast I could barely catch my breath. It was almost over before I realized what happened,” said Yebba.

Preparing for homecoming is an exciting part of this overall experience. Trying on dresses or getting fitted for tuxedos is only a small portion of what is needed to be prepared for Homecoming. “Most of the preparation involved getting my dress for the game and picking the right kind of heels to wear on a wet football field that wouldn’t make me trip and fall in front of everybody. Anytime you buy a dress for a big event like this there’s always the chance that someone may have the same or similar dress as you and that comes with a level of stress as well,” said Yebba. “To prepare for Homecoming I did online shopping for new pants and a dress shirt,” said Wilson.

At the 70s themed Homecoming dance on Saturday, Sept. 24 the Homecoming King was crowned. “When I won I felt happy and very thankful for everyone who supported me,” said Wilson. Soon after Wilson was crowned, Wilson and Yebba performed the traditional king and queen dance for the crowd.

When asked about a moment that stuck out to her during Homecoming Yebba said, “Definitely the Homecoming King and Queen dance. I’ve never slow danced in front of a large crowd with all eyes on me before. Spencer and I didn’t get any dance practice so we just had to get up there and wing it, but it was still a fun experience.”

Hanging out with friends and even meeting new ones makes the night a success. “I attended Homecoming with a big group of my friends who I love dearly,” said Wilson. Yebba said, “I went with a group of 20 friends on a party bus to Homecoming. Many of them were my close friends, and I met some really cool new people too.”

Attending Homecoming and getting involved in something like running for Homecoming King and Queen can make this experience even more memorable. “My favorite memory was walking into the dance and seeing all of my friends,” said Wilson. “For me, it was the overall experience of being selected by my fellow seniors to represent them in such a special way. I’ll be forever grateful for the many memories and this great honor from my classmates,” said Yebba.

Congratulations to both Spencer Wilson and Ayla Yebba on Homecoming King and Queen. Good luck on your future endeavors! Underclassmen, if you are wishing for a memorable experience apply for Homecoming Court next year.