Q: Why did you decide to run for HOCO court?

A: One of the biggest reasons was that my brother was on homecoming court when he was at school, and so I wanted to follow in his footsteps and go for that as well. On top of that, as a drum major, I really wanted to represent our band and be someone that embodies what our school’s band is about. I wanted to be that representation for them, especially after all the hard work they put into putting the show together, as well as for everything they’ve done for me. And so, I kind of wanted to give back to them by being a homecoming court representative.

Q: How did you feel when you found out you were the HOCO king?

A: It was surreal. Thinking about it now, it still does not feel real to me. When it got announced, I felt like I was dreaming, and honestly it isn’t something I’d ever imagine happening. Coming in as a freshman, I was an introvert, a little guy, and it was like, to think how much I’ve grown as a person. Just to be the homecoming king has been insane.

Q: What does being crowned HOCO king mean to you?

A: For me, it was just, like I said, a representation of all our hard work. As you know, Maithili won Homecoming queen, so it was really cool seeing the band kids win the crowns, especially after this year. This year has just been really special; I’ve felt like I’ve had a lot more genuine connections with all of the people around me, and I’ve just had a lot more support from my peers, which is something I’ve personally struggled with accepting over the years. I guess just finally being crowned has helped me realize I do deserve the things I do and that’s just something I’ve struggled with coming to terms with.

Q: Did you do anything special to celebrate becoming HOCO king?

A: Right after the homecoming game, my friends and I all went to IHOP and hung out. That was pretty fun, and then my brother had come down from New York, so I spent time with him.

Q: What was your favorite moment from HOCO?

A: So, funny enough, I wasn’t [at the dance] for that long because we had a competition at the same time. Me and Maithili were there for maybe fifteen minutes, for when we got crowned and all. I honestly think that was the best part. The fact that, despite winning homecoming [king], I still had a performance to put together, and being able to be at two places at once and do both things was really touching for me because I got to appreciate the recognition I got, but get right back to work. Go kill it at another performance.

Q: Besides the HOCO court, what’s your favorite thing about Homecoming?

A: I would say probably the parade. The parade was really fun. Kamille [Lacy] was on my cart with me, and she was an amazing person to talk to. I really liked getting to toss candy to all the kids, it was such a gratifying thing seeing all of the smiles on the kids’ faces. Towards the end we started running out of candy and we both felt so bad that we couldn’t give everyone candy, but it was such a fun experience. But Kamille was just an amazing person to be around. Very nice person.

Q: What clubs or extracurriculars are you involved in at SLHS? Favorite? Why? 

A: I’m in band, but aside from that I am the president of the Science National Honor Society, and then I’m also in the National Honor Society and Music Honor Society. Those are the things I’ve been doing throughout my years in high school.

Q: What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? Why?

A: Probably check my phone. I’m pretty guilty of that, but I’ll just check my phone, scroll through social media for a bit, and just see if there’s anything. But yeah, that’s pretty much it.

Q: What was the last thing you read, heard, or saw that inspired you?

A:I would probably say, well my brother was here over the weekend, and when we were going through a lot of stuff for college apps and with all that coming up, he just sort of inspired me to think that I don’t have to limit myself into doing one thing, and to expand my mind to other options of what I may want to do in the future. I think that kind of inspired me to be more open-minded and just let myself feel out situations rather than jumping into it without really knowing what I’m getting myself into.

Q:What would your friends say is your best quality?

A: I hate coming off as conceited. But I actually think that’s one of the things that [my friends] would point out; I think they appreciate my empathy, and a lot of the time they come to me for help with their personal issues. Personally, that’s one of the things that makes me really happy. The most gratifying thing is knowing that I’m able to help other people with their own hardships. But I definitely think my friends would point out my empathy and just how I strive to support them with everything that they do.