Next week, a full slate of homecoming activities are scheduled, culminating with the return of the dance on Saturday night. A highlight of the week is the crowning of the homecoming queen at halftime of Friday night’s game. Get to know the five seniors who make up this year’s court.

Kaliyah Brown

Q: How did you feel when you found out you were nominated for homecoming queen?

A: “I was kind of surprised, but I was mainly excited that the teachers recognized me and wanted to nominate me themselves. When I went for Prom Queen, I feel like I kind of hinted that I wanted to be Prom Queen, but for them to just nominate me, and I didn’t even know when they were nominating people, it was very uplifting.”

Q: What clubs, sports, etc do you participate in at MHS?

A: “I’m the Class of 23 vice president; captain of the varsity soccer team; I run varsity track and field; I’m a Freshman Mentor; I’m in the Robotics Club and Spanish Club.”

Q: What part of the homecoming week are you looking forward to the most?

A: “I’m looking forward to the football game the most because the theme is halloween. That’s my favorite holiday, so I’m really excited for that, and just being able to see our boys play.”

Q: What traits do you feel qualify you to be homecoming queen?

A: “I’m really involved in school, and I show a lot of school spirit, so I feel like that puts me up there. Also, my grades and the classes I partake in. I feel like I’m a good role model to have for the other students, and showing them that hard work pays off.”

Q: What are your plans for after high school?

A:  “I want to go out of state and study engineering. Maybe civil or chemical engineering, but I know for sure I want to be an engineer, and I want to leave the state.”

Q: What is one of your favorite high school memories?

A: “When I joined the track team back my junior year, and I got to hang out with my senior friends for the last time. It was just really fun and uplifting, and we always had a good time.”

Brooklyn Edwards

Q: How did you feel when you were nominated for homecoming queen?

A: “Surprised, I initially wanted to turn it down due to family and money, I knew my friend was running and I didn’t want to get in the way. But after talking to administrations and sponsors, I wanted to do it because it is an honor to be nominated.”

Q: What clubs, sports, etc do you participate in at MHS?

A: “I’m the Senior Class President, I’m in the National Honor Society, Advanced Orchestra, Freshman Mentor, Track and Field, Good News Bible Club, and the president of an outside of school club called Xinos Youth Group.”

Q: What part of homecoming are you looking forward to the most?

A: “The pep rally and the game. Plan on dressing up in my costume(Homecoming theme) at the game after all the Homecoming events at halftime.”

Q: What traits do you feel qualify you to be the homecoming queen?

A: “Definitely being involved, being an active member of the school. I feel like having good grades, your extracurricular activities have to be superb.”

Q: What are your plans after high school?

A: “I plan on going to an HBCU, preferably down south, majoring in Business Administration and Consultation on Marketing. Will plan on applying to colleges once I retake the SAT.”

Q: What is one of your favorite high school memories?

A: “Prom my junior year, it was a great experience. I hope to make more memories at homecoming and with the senior activities.”

Aniyah Hill

Q: How did you feel when you found out you were nominated for homecoming queen? 

A: “When I found out I was nominated for homecoming queen, I was surprised and kind of nervous thinking about the other girls that were going to run. But I was more happy that my coaches and teachers even thought of nominating me.”

Q: What clubs, sports, etc do you participate in? 

A: “I am on the cross country team, the track team, and I used to play on the girls basketball team. I am also a Freshman mMentor and a part of the National Honor Society.”

Q: What part of the homecoming week are you looking forward to the most? 

A: “I am looking forward to the game the most during homecoming week just to see everybody, and root for the boys.”

Q: What traits do you feel qualify you to be homecoming queen? 

A: “I believe that I am a people person, I think I get along well with everybody in the school. I think I am very relatable to some of the girls and guys here too. I also think that some people think that just because I am pretty and dress up I should be nominated for homecoming queen, but there’s more to me than just a pretty face.” 

Q: What are your plans for after high school? 

A: “After high school I want to major in nursing at Howard university, my dream school, and become a nurse practitioner.” 

Q: What is one of your favorite high school memories? 

A: “So far my favorite high school memory is the first home football game of senior year. We just had a great time and it was so much fun rooting for the team, being with our friends, making tiktoks, screaming , cheering, and losing my voice.”

Monica Valladares

Q: How did you feel when you found out you were nominated for homecoming queen

A: “When Mrs. Loving came into my class to bring me the letter,I was honestly really confused but also shocked because I didn’t think that my teachers actually noticed all of my efforts but I’m really happy that they did and that they thought I was a good fit for a candidate.”

Q: What clubs, sports, etc, do you participate in at MHS?

A: “I am the varsity soccer captain for the girls team, I play tennis, I’m thinking of doing girls wrestling this year, but I’m not sure yet. I’m also a Student Government historian; I was a class secretary my sophomore and junior year; I’m also in the National Honor Society; Spanish Club; a Freshman Mentor; Business Professionals of America; and I’m a volunteer for the Urban Link of Northwest Indiana to help the elderly with their taxes.”

Q: What part of homecoming week are you looking forward to the most?

A: “I’m really looking forward to the parade because I really like getting creative and decorating floats and I think it would be really interesting to see how I can decorate the truck for my float. I think it’s really fun to see the whole community come out and support the school and all their clubs and activities.” 

Q: What traits do you feel qualify you to be homecoming queen? 

A: “I think I’m a really dedicated person when it comes to getting involved in school activities. I really made an effort to get into as many clubs and activities as I could in my high school career.”

Q: What are your plans for after high school?

A: “I actually plan to attend the University of Pennsylvania after high school to study finance and minor communications. I want to learn how to help immigrant families fill out any financial situations and conflicts that they might have, and also minor communications, so I can spread the lessons that I’ve learned and any subject that I wish to teach to younger kids and adults.”

Q: What is one of your favorite high school memories?

A: “One of my favorite high school memories is definitely my sophomore year soccer season. All of my best friends were playing that year, but they were all seniors. We had a really great time going on the field, and even when there was no school we would still hang out all the time and play soccer. It was a really good environment for me and I feel like I really learned a lot.”

Folasade Zannou

Q: How did you feel when you found out you were nominated for homecoming queen?

A: “When I found out I was nominated I wasn’t even at school, I was at a golf match. And my mom texted me that I was nominated for homecoming. And it was a really big honor especially since I didn’t ask my class to nominate me. So for them to think of me, I just felt really honored.”

Q: What clubs, sports, etc do you participate in at MHS?

A: “I’m involved in a lot of things: I do golf, track, I’m in National Honor Society, I’m in Student Government, I’m the co-captain of the Mock Trial team, I’m a part of the Quiz Bowl team, the Spell Bowl team, Orchestra, and I’m also a freshman mentor.”

Q: What part of homecoming week are you looking forward to the most?

A: “I’m really excited for the homecoming parade because I’ve never been to a single one ever. So not only to be a part of the parade, but to see everybody else’s floats and the creativity that went into making them. I’m really excited to see all of that.”

Q: What traits do you feel qualify you to be homecoming queen?

A: “People have told me that I’m a nice person and I always try my best to be helpful to others. I’m really involved in a lot of school activities. I participate in a lot of school spirit. I’m ranked No. 4 in my class, I get good grades, I try to stay on top of my school work and stay responsible. I try to be respectful to everybody that I meet. So I think all of those traits qualify me to be a good homecoming candidate.”

Q: What are your plans after high school?

A: “My plans for after high school is to get a full ride scholarship to whatever college I want to go to study biology because I want to be an anesthesiologist.”

Q: What is one of your favorite high school memories?

A: “My favorite high school memory is the last spring concert that we held with Ms. Rosenthal. Because all of the orchestra got to play together, advanced, beginning, and intermediate. And she got proposed to, and it was really sweet to watch. It was the last time we got to see her before she left to go to California.”

Mya-Lee Jackson, Noah Molenda, Davion Donnerson, Robert Richardson and Myles Germany contributed to this report.