By: Dana Hathaway

Editorial Editor

On Oct. 1, weeks of voting and applications culminated in the announcement of the 2022 Coronation Royalty. After a long process (which included a golf cart ride), the student body selected two seniors due to their school spirit, welcoming presences, and community involvement. At the dance, Keira Dodd and Andrew Zhang were named Coronation King and Queen, receiving their crowns to deafening cheers!

Originally, Zhang recalled that the crown “was definitely not something that [he] sought out… it was something that [Zhang’s] friends sought out for [him], which [he] thought was a little ridiculous.” After the shock of the initial nomination, he thought, “Well, you know what? It’s not really hurting me,” and went along with the experience. While he may not have intended to involve himself in the court, his outlook on high school prepared Zhang perfectly for the experience. The senior explained, “I feel like a lot of my high school life has been characterized by connecting with a lot of different groups within our high school as our high school tends to be made up of a lot of cliques, despite our large population. I think that it’s definitely been a goal of mine to try and break down some of those barriers and incorporate us into a more cohesive ball, even though I’m just one person.” This outgoing spirit is exactly what carried Zhang to the crown, although he made sure to mention, “I was completely satisfied with the sash. I love that sash. That was like 95 percent of my motivation and the other 5 percent was just not disappointing my friends that voted for me.”

Dodd initially met people in a slightly different way. The tri-sport athlete became well known throughout the school over her high school years for her volleyball, basketball, and lacrosse prowess. The St. Lawrence University commit expressed that “I love being part of teams…my teammates are always great, and it lets me meet so many people.” Dodd also spoke highly of her peers on Coronation Court, mentioning that “It was fun to hang out with everyone and just be part of that group.” Another highlight for her was the football game. She explained that, “I was paired with Donya [Derakshandeh]. Everyone was paired with someone, and we basically drove around the track halfway in a golf cart. It was pretty fast, and then they dropped us at the other half. It was pretty fun.” While Dodd could not be completely sure why she won, she credits the underclassman with helping her get the crown. She stated that, “I know when I was a freshman, I wished the upperclassmen were nicer to me, or just felt more approachable. I don’t view the underclassman as annoying most of the time. I just view them as normal friends. I think that being inclusive and nice to all grades in general helped me get a lot of underclassmen votes. I don’t put them out just because they’re younger.”

Both royalty made sure to mention how grateful they were for the experience. Dodd called the court “really fun to be on” and Zhang emphasized that “the people were great to be around.” With their affability and talents, this duo of seniors got a sparkly crown to add to their senior year accolades.