by Alyssa Askeland

Homecoming King Derek Tjepkes and Queen Tess Dusenberry, seniors at Atlantic High School, were crowned as AHS royalty on Friday, Sept. 24.

As tradition, 7 senior boys and 7 senior girls are elected on to the homecoming court by the senior class.  On Thursday of homecoming week, the school votes for one boy and one girl on the court to be the year’s King and Queen.

The Queen, Tess Dusenberry, has been a member of Student Council since her freshmen year at AHS.  She has worked on the coronation process for the past few years and is very involved in AHS activities.  Tess stated that she was excited to be on the court and felt honored to be elected as the 2010 Homecoming Queen after all these years helping with the past coronations.  “I’m very active in the school, but I feel all 7 [girls] where equally deserving,” said Dusenberry when asked why she deserved her position.  Dusenberry participates in NHS, Student Council and the Nishna Valley Family YMCA swim team.

Derek Tjepkes, 2010 Homecoming King, says that it was a surprise that he made it onto the court and that it was very exciting.  He figured he had a pretty good shot as his parents escorted him to the stage and most of the crowd was chanting his name.  Derek believes he deserves the crown because he is involved in multiple activities at AHS.  But he also thinks that the other candidates also deserved it. Tjepkes participates in football, basketball, tennis and baseball at AHS.