With homecoming just two days away, and the competition for king and queen narrowed to just five boys and five girls, some students are questioning the selection process, which they feel is unfair.

Candidates are nominated by the various clubs on campus, as well as civics and economic classes. From this pool, the top ten candidates for each gender are decided by a committee, including many teachers and some students of the junior class. The competition is fierce, with roughly 80 nominees in total, competing for 20 positions in the first round of evaluation.

Nominees answer questions about their academic history and involvement in school activities, and their anonymous answers are scored by the committee. The top 10 candidates for each gender are interviewed, and five are selected for each position.

Then the 20 finalists are narrowed to the 10 members of the homecoming court by the senior class. The seniors are approached during their economics and civics classes by leadership students, who hold a vote. Given all the competition, making it anywhere in the race for homecoming royalty can be a triumph for students who make the cut.

“I honestly didn’t know I was on top five. I was in water polo practice when it was announced and my friends came to congratulate me. I was really shocked and surprised,” said candidate Jasmin Taypan.

However, some think the selection process favors popular students and those in the Leadership class. Half of this year’s court are leadership students, though they make up less than three percent of the senior class.

Freshman John Gerritse said, “It’s unfair, because people usually vote for the pretty and popular students. It’s like a vote for who has the nicest face. That’s usually how it goes.”

Freshman Belle Heldt agrees. She would like to change the process of nominations. “I think that it’d be great to be able to nominate yourself and have everyone just vote for the people that want to be homecoming king or queen,” she said.

To others, however, the competition is fair.

Freshman class representative John Earvin Lim said he thought the nominees simply reflected who was involved in school the most. “Popular students and leadership students make it because they’re more well known, and they work for it.”

Senior Douglas Vandarmark agreed. “The only people that really make it are those who get good grades and do a lot of community service. It’s not even popular students – or I’d be on there,” he said.

In the meantime, court members have chosen their escorts and are preparing for the celebrations, which will include a rally, the annual homecoming parade, and the football game at which the winner is chosen.

“I’m looking forward to homecoming, definitely,” said senior Angelina Vuong, who was eliminated in the final round. She said while she would have liked to make it onto the court, she also felt the people chosen probably deserved it.

“I’m excited for the rally, the parade and the game. For us seniors, it’s our last year and homecoming is a way to unite all the classes and the whole school,” Vuong said.