She stands beside her parents. Takes a breath and smiles to the crowd. The drum roll starts. The maid of honor is announced. She takes another breath while clapping for her fellow maids. Finally, the moment comes where the Homecoming queen is announced. Before she knows it, she is smiling out of joy and surprise as her name echoes through the stadium and a crown is placed on her head.

On Friday night before the game against the Pine Tree Pirates, this moment became the highlight of Homecoming week for senior Anna Catherine Boudreaux.

“It was definitely an honor because Texas High has been such a huge part of my life for four years, and everyone here means so much to me,” Boudreaux said. “It is exciting and surreal.”

More than two people enjoyed the surprise of receiving an honor this year because a tie occurred between seniors Leah Crenshaw and Kaylin Edmonds.

“I’m really glad I got to share it with Leah because I feel like I got a better connection with her out of all the girls,” Edmonds said. “When I found out, I paused and didn’t know if I was supposed to move up or not. I was just frozen.”

Crenshaw did not expect to receive this honor.

“I am so glad that Kaylin got it, and I honestly did not expect to get it,” Crenshaw said. “I’m not really good at the whole social thing, and this happened, so it was really bizarre.”

Other members of the court experienced a different kind of happiness. Chelsea Villanueva got to see her father come home from being deployed in Germany.

“It was really exciting, but I knew he was coming in just not more of my family,” Villanueva said. “They showed up at the pep rally, and I just started crying. It has been a really good night, and I am happy.”

The maids enjoyed the experience of getting to know the vast array of girls on the court.

“It was fun because I experienced different girl from different groups of people,” Edmonds said. “I realized that I love everyone.”

After hearing her name over the loudspeaker, Boudreaux was also honored to experience the moment.

“It was such an honor once again to hear my name announced,” Boudreaux said. “It made me happy, but also sad because it made me realize that this was my last year at Texas High, and we will all be leaving soon.”

Crenshaw related to the surprise of hearing her name and being a senior.
“I do not even know what was going through my head when I found out,” Crenshaw said. “ I grabbed Steve’s elbow even tighter and just started crying into his shoulder.”