From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Social ties critical to King's campaign

By Adam Brock
Cypress Bay High

March 20 2008

Everyone in high school has a certain title pertaining to their social status.

You've got the captain of the cheerleading squad, the quarterback of the football team, the president of Mu Alpha Theta, even the editor-in-chief of the school newspaper.

Being involved in so many activities, I never had one set-in-stone title until this year, when I was named the 2007 Homecoming King of Cypress Bay.

But this title did not come easy.

And if you're looking for your chance to be Prom King or Prom Queen, you have to remember to keep it all in perspective.

In elementary school, everyone was separated into their own little groups, each of them contemplating whether the group next to them had cooties or not.

I was the outsider who associated himself with all of the groups, looking in on this everyday aspect of life, trying to make peace between the kids who hang out by the cubbies and the teacher pets.

Even back then, I thought that committing yourself to a certain clan limits the people with whom you associate.

Besides getting to know your peers, a proper Homecoming (or Prom) King should get to know the faculty and staff of his school.

I know each of the office ladies by their first and last name and know just about every single teacher's room number in the entire school.

Getting to know the teachers will definitely help when it comes down to voting. If students don't personally know any of the candidates, they will typically ask teachers who they should vote for, and there you go: You have almost 30 votes right there.

Getting to know the lunch staff and custodial staff can come in handy, too. Right before election time, a lunch lady can make or break your entire campaign if she tells the students in her line to vote for you.

Another person to get to know is the Student Government adviser and the Student Government president. Not only do they know who the nominees are well in advance, but they are the only two people who know who the King is, too.

Find out what their favorite drink is at Starbucks and what type of bagel and cream cheese they like the most and make sure it is on their desk before that first bell rings.

Prom King wannabes should also take advantage of resources at school.

For Homecoming King, I was going up against a football player and an art student, so I knew those specific votes were locked down and out of control.

Luckily, I am involved in many clubs. I was a runner on the track and cross-country teams and I am an editor for my school newspaper.

If it comes down to a major club where all of the candidates are members, don't let your competitors get those votes. They are critical and can cost you the crown.

Once you are elected as a member of the court, the next few days until the King and Queen are announced are absolute hysteria.

For some strange reason, you tend to see your competition more often than you ever have during the whole time you have known them.

Don't give in to pressure. It's a lot to handle, but when you hear your name announced over the loudspeaker, you'll realize it was all worth it.