The spotlights shine directly onto the stage as 10 couples, who make up homecoming court, wait outside. First, the girl’s name is announced. Then, together, the couples walk towards the stage. Clapping and cheering fill the room as each pair strolls up to stage. 

Hanna Ingraham hangs on to her partner’s arm tight. Her name is called. They move through the doors headed in the direction of the stage. “I hope I don’t fall, or look dumb,” Ingraham thinks. But, she trips. Quick on his feet, the way most football players are, king candidate Matt Connelly, her escort, grabs her before anyone can see. Without further ado, they find their way into the spotlight. Smiling and shaking, Ingraham waits.

Joe Dahir, on the other hand is relaxed. Behind the closed doors of the auditorium, he wastes time, casually joking with his partner and date to the dance, queen candidate Caroline Luther, until she is introduced. “Caroline Luther is the daughter of…,” the announcers says, and together they walk to the stage.

Like a gentleman, Dahir takes his date’s hand and helps her up the stairs, making sure she does not fall. They walk to their assigned spot on the stage next to the other candidates. Dahir watches as physical education instructor and football coach Craig Secora, the crowner, paces back and forth in front of the candidates, and then moves behind them facing the audience.

Dahir can feel Secora walk behind him to the end of the stage, where the last candidate stands. Yet, he doesn’t stop. Secora comes back, walks past Dahir, pauses and heads in Dahir’s direction again. The silk lining embraces his head. Joe is crowned Homecoming king.

Smiling and laughing in the shock of it all, he cannot celebrate. He must first crown the queen.

Dahir walks back and forth on the stage,  stopping at a few girls, motioning towards crowning them and then moving away. He stops at king candidate Jack Gilinsky, fakes crowning him, laughs and makes his way towards Ingraham. He stops. Dahir sets the bejewled tierra on top of her head and suddenly her nerves vanish.

“Congratulations to our 2013 Homecoming king and queen, Joe Dahir and Hanna Ingraham,” the announcer says to the crowd. “You are now dismissed to go back to the dance.”

Many are nominated, and two are chosen. What makes these two this year unique, however, is the way they contrast, yet complement each other. Let’s get to know your 2013 homecoming king and queen.

Both the king and queen apply themselves academically, and also participate and are committed members of many different school sponsored organizations.

Ingraham is heavily involved in the musical side of school and Dahir sticks to sports and participates in more clubs.

“I take a lot of classes,” Ingraham said. “I’ve taken almost every music class, basically. I’m in all of the jazz bands, and I’m in choir. I did show choir and I’m in the marching band. I was in the Nebraska All-State jazz band and I went to Cornhusker Girls State.”

Ingraham is also a member of the French Club, a member of National Honors Society and is on the track team.

Dahir is a a returning starting defender on the varsity soccer team, a member of Latin Club, DECA and was also a framer of the Red Shield, an organization at Westside committed to building school spirit. Both students are involved, but are also very outgoing. The two also know a lot of people around the school and are considered to be genuinely nice individuals.

“I think being social helps you win and just kind of talking to people and getting your name out there,” Dahir said. “There’s notthing really that you can do other than being social.”

“I try to just get to know as many people as I can,” Ingraham said. “I always think about when I was a freshman — it always made me feel so cool when the seniors would say hi to me, so I try to do that and say hi to everyone.”

Although Ingraham and Dahir may not see many changes expect for new faces congratulating them, they both consider their newly acquired positions to be an honor and something that will act as a constant reminder to be a better individual, student and to maintain a high level of self-esteem and self-worth.

“I’m just going to try to be like the same person and I guess represent Westside well,” Dahir said. “I’m kind of a representative, I guess you could say, of Westside now that I’m homecoming king, and when people see me, they might think of a Westside student, and see me as what a typical westside student is like.”

Dahir will take away the idea of being in the spotlight and being viewed by his peers as someone who is more than your typical student.  Ingraham, however, knows that you have to believe in yourself before you can achieve greatness.

“Just because you don’t think that you can achieve something doesn’t mean that you can’t, because I really didn’t think I would [be Homecoming queen],” Ingraham said.

Out of this experience, Dahir and Ingraham have gotten to know each other. What’s next on this list for the king and queen? Working on college applications and finishing out their senior years.