WWTBAM Bored

Yeah, I know it's still August but school starts the day after tomorrow and this was a topic of conversation around our dinner table tonight. So, I would like some opinions.

Here's the deal. Like most high schools, ours has a homecoming queen that is crowned at the homecoming football game this fall. About ten years ago, the HS principal decided that the HC Queen competition was too much of a popularity contest. Instead of the winner getting the most votes, from then on each candidate was sponsored by a group or club in the school - whichever group raised the most money from the start of school to the HC game would have the winner. Fair enough.

But ---- Our school (just under 1,000 students) has a very large band (around 300 students). The band has many mandatory fund raising events. Many of these fundraisers (like parking fees for games and concessions at all football games) are not available to other groups. On top of that, since almost one third of the school is in the band, many students in the other groups are also in the band - and the bands mandatory fund raising comes first. Needless to say, the band has a huge ability to raise lots of money while the other 15 or so groups not so much. In fact, the numbers are so skewed that if you totaled all the money raised by all the non-band groups they will still have far less then the amount raised by the band each year. So every year, for the past ten years or so, the homecoming queen has always been whoever was nominated by the band.

Now, as they say here in the South - I don't have no dog in this hunt. I have sons. The closest we've ever been to a homecoming competition is that one of my boys was an escort one year. So it's really not a big deal yet it just seems kinda silly. In my opinion, having a cut and dried "competition" where the "winner" is predestined is even worse than the HC competition being a popularity contest. It's so silly that I feel like I want to say something to the school administration about it. But I just don't know what to offer up as an alternative for the HC queen selection process. I don't want to criticize without suggesting some solution. I also don't expect anything to happen and I'll not be loosing any sleep over this.

But as I said, it's just silly to have it set up this way. Does anyone else do this? Anyone have any alternate suggestions that I could pass on to our school?

Thanks,

Where I went to college, any recognized student group could nominate someone, then any student with an ID card could vote for any of the six or eight candidates. Doesn't solve your "popularity contest" problem, I know. If it is a problem. The most popular kid where I went to jr. high and then high school was amazingly sweet and funny, never mean to anybody. I like to see that recognized.

jaybee wrote:About ten years ago, the HS principal decided that the HC Queen competition was too much of a popularity contest.

I thought the whole point of the homecoming thing was that it was supposed to be a popularity contest....

In my high school, groups/clubs made nominations. Five of the nominated people were selected by a committee of a few student council members, a few administrators, and a few members of the Pep Club to serve as the Homecoming Court. From those five, the football players (including third- and fourth-stringers) selected the queen. That might have given some small advantage to a girl who was dating the team captain, or something, but there were enough people involved that being popular could help, but it would pretty much have to be a well-liked girl who was genuinely nice to everyone.

Sounds like government in action. Nevermind popularity (or votes)--money talks.

If they're going to keep this system, how about not counting any of the money from the mandatory band fundraisers?

So far, my only idea would be to base the money raised on a per-person number rather than the total. If the 300 member band raises $10,000, then it's number would be the $33.33 raised by each member. Meaning that if the 15 member tennis team raises $600, they could win with $40 per student. I thought that this would be a bit complex until I read what SC's school did, so I may suggest this.

jaybee wrote:So far, my only idea would be to base the money raised on a per-person number rather than the total. If the 300 member band raises $10,000, then it's number would be the $33.33 raised by each member. Meaning that if the 15 member tennis team raises $600, they could win with $40 per student. I thought that this would be a bit complex until I read what SC's school did, so I may suggest this.

Granted, my school may have overdone it on the complexity, but what else was there to do between the start of the snow and the beginning of ski season?

I'm bothered by the relationship of money to the homecoming crown, under any circumstances. What would stop Rich Mean Girl from getting her daddy to buy her the crown by making a donation to the group who nominated her, or sold the nomination to the highest bidder?

silvercamaro wrote:

jaybee wrote:So far, my only idea would be to base the money raised on a per-person number rather than the total. If the 300 member band raises $10,000, then it's number would be the $33.33 raised by each member. Meaning that if the 15 member tennis team raises $600, they could win with $40 per student. I thought that this would be a bit complex until I read what SC's school did, so I may suggest this.

Granted, my school may have overdone it on the complexity, but what else was there to do between the start of the snow and the beginning of ski season?

I'm bothered by the relationship of money to the homecoming crown, under any circumstances. What would stop Rich Mean Girl from getting her daddy to buy her the crown by making a donation to the group who nominated her, or sold the nomination to the highest bidder?

jaybee has a great idea but the whole process has the potential for something like what SC gave as an example. Still if they're going to continue, the per capita earnings should be the standard.

Our high school is having Homecoming this year for the first time of many. This is how it was explained to us and it seems fair.

Nominations come from teachers. All grades get nominated but a senior is the only one to be queen the rest are the court. Everyone votes for their grade. Top three vote getters are interviewed byt committee for community service, scholarship, etc. Committee decides.

Still a popularity contest but there is another layer to mute that part a little.

I like christie's way.

Stephen's school doesn't even have a football team so they don't have a Homecoming or marching band or any of that stuff. Rain Man is just entering high school this year and will pay exactly zero attention to the whole procedure so I'll probably have no idea how the schools here do it.

I only remember who was our Queen because she lived behind me and her mom taught at the school. I never really got into that kinda stuff. I was in the band so I went to all the games so I'm sure I saw all the crownings, but, eh.

FannytheBull wrote:

jaybee wrote:About ten years ago, the HS principal decided that the HC Queen competition was too much of a popularity contest.

I thought the whole point of the homecoming thing was that it was supposed to be a popularity contest....

Indeed it should. And I'm sure I'll be popular with Sprots today......

lb13

littlebeast13 wrote:

FannytheBull wrote:

jaybee wrote:About ten years ago, the HS principal decided that the HC Queen competition was too much of a popularity contest.

I thought the whole point of the homecoming thing was that it was supposed to be a popularity contest....

Indeed it should. And I'm sure I'll be popular with Sprots today......

lb13

That's Erin's crown! Give it back!

minimetoo26 wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:

FannytheBull wrote:
I thought the whole point of the homecoming thing was that it was supposed to be a popularity contest....

Indeed it should. And I'm sure I'll be popular with Sprots today......

lb13

That's Erin's crown! Give it back!

YOU tell Angel to give it back! You want to make a poor squirrel cry.....?

lb13

minimetoo26 wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:

FannytheBull wrote:
I thought the whole point of the homecoming thing was that it was supposed to be a popularity contest....

Indeed it should. And I'm sure I'll be popular with Sprots today......

lb13

That's Erin's crown! Give it back!

Whatever! Clem gave it to MEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Ice Skaping Queen wrote:

minimetoo26 wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:

Indeed it should. And I'm sure I'll be popular with Sprots today......

lb13

That's Erin's crown! Give it back!

Whatever! Clem gave it to MEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

And didn't that make his groupies jealous!

MarleysGh0st wrote:

Ice Skaping Queen wrote:

minimetoo26 wrote:
That's Erin's crown! Give it back!

Whatever! Clem gave it to MEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

And didn't that make his groupies jealous!

They were still in bed. They just want him to buy them drinks, anyway...

minimetoo26 wrote:

MarleysGh0st wrote:

Ice Skaping Queen wrote:

Whatever! Clem gave it to MEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

And didn't that make his groupies jealous!

They were still in bed. They just want him to buy them drinks, anyway...

Actually, that depends on if school's started up in their neck of the woods yet......

lb13

littlebeast13 wrote:Actually, that depends on if school's started up in their neck of the woods yet......

No school yet, back east.

We've got a week or two more of peace and quiet before the students return to Ithaca.

littlebeast13 wrote:

minimetoo26 wrote:

MarleysGh0st wrote:
And didn't that make his groupies jealous!

They were still in bed. They just want him to buy them drinks, anyway...

Actually, that depends on if school's started up in their neck of the woods yet......

lb13

I put them in Community College. The picture is from a Burger King ad...

minimetoo26 wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:

minimetoo26 wrote:
They were still in bed. They just want him to buy them drinks, anyway...

Actually, that depends on if school's started up in their neck of the woods yet......

lb13

I put them in Community College. The picture is from a Burger King ad...

Yeah, like Clem is the Home of the Whopper............

lb13

littlebeast13 wrote:

minimetoo26 wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:

Actually, that depends on if school's started up in their neck of the woods yet......

lb13

I put them in Community College. The picture is from a Burger King ad...

Yeah, like Clem is the Home of the Whopper............

lb13

He is!!!!!!!

Clem's Groupies wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:

minimetoo26 wrote:
I put them in Community College. The picture is from a Burger King ad...

Yeah, like Clem is the Home of the Whopper............

lb13

He is!!!!!!!

Fine, have it your way......

littlebeast13 wrote:

FannytheBull wrote:

jaybee wrote:About ten years ago, the HS principal decided that the HC Queen competition was too much of a popularity contest.

I thought the whole point of the homecoming thing was that it was supposed to be a popularity contest....

Indeed it should. And I'm sure I'll be popular with Sprots today......

lb13

VERY popular.

GREAT avatar.

YAY ANGEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went to an all-boys high school. We didn't have a homecoming queen. At least not that I knew about. But we did have an all-girl sister school, and they provided the homecoming queen. I have no idea how she was chosen but the first one ever chosen was my neighbor. But alas, proximity does not equal dates.