When senior Don Linardi was named Homecoming King this year, I was deeply moved. It was fitting for a student who displayed courage and strength in the face of great adversity to receive this honor.

Then I thought, shouldn’t every person in Homecoming Court have these kinds of characteristics?

I’m not saying that the people who were nominated for it this year lacked great qualities such as leadership skills and friendliness, because  Homecoming Queen senior Maria Edwards had those characteristics.  However, some people may not have known that, and I think that if every Homecoming Court had some guidelines or character requirements to it, these traits could become more obvious to people.

If positive traits were taken into account, it wouldn’t be just another popularity contest, and Homecoming Court would become more meaningful for everyone. There should be a set of requirements that need to be met if a person wants to be nominated for Homecoming Court.

Instead of an impersonal, “let’s get this done and over with” attitude of selecting people during advisories, students should be encouraged to pick someone who fits certain characteristics or who has accomplished something significant. Some examples of this could be a sports team captain who has brought team participation to a whole new level or a student who has not served detention throughout their JC career.

To make sure that students nominate people who truly do meet these requirements, teacher input should also be considered.

Not only that, but similar to how every Homecoming Dance has a theme, Homecoming Court can have one, too. One year, the people who are the most patient can be nominated. And another year, the people who give the best advice can be nominated.

The purpose of Homecoming is to foster a sense of school pride and unification. If Homecoming Court were adjusted a little, it could be the perfect picture of that sentiment. A Homecoming King and Queen who exemplify positive traits could inspire the rest of the student body to be their best, and Homecoming Court would no longer be about the kids who know the most people.

Grace Kim is the Online Chief for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.