King Kelvin reigned over the 2022 Basketball Homecoming on Feb.11. The first king on a royal court accompanied Queen Essynce Norwood during the ceremony at The Barn. 

   “StuCo wanted a homecoming king as I wanted to honor a good friend of mine and I saw the opportunity to do that through StuCo and Homecoming. Southside has never had a king and it was also an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy on Southside from the Class of ‘22. I chose Kelvin because he has been a friend of mine since 8th grade at Chaffin. I wanted to show him and his family how much he means to me and the school as a whole. Mrs. Smith and the rest of StuCo backed me up on the plan and helped make it happen. We held a vote in GroupMe and it was unanimous in favor of Kelvin for King, and the rest is history,” Student Council president Braxton Waller said.

   Super-fan Kelvin Johnson, known around campus for his friendly personality,  possessed a love for basketball. 

   “Kelvin where can I start really. He is funny, smart and charming. For as long as I’ve known Kelvin, he has always been the most polite and genuine person. He has never met a stranger and you can not help but to like him. I love having him in class because he keeps a smile on. And just like a yaw, a smile is also contagious. I was overjoyed when he told me. I was so proud to be his teacher and I cried tears of joy. People are finally seeing him for the fabulous young man he is,” teacher Kelcey Thompson said.

   Waller selected senior players Jaida Ndungu and Dylon McCord to escort Johnson during the pep rally. After introducing all the homecoming maids, the king took the court.

   “Honestly, it was a really good feeling just like for me because I felt honored being able to escort him because he was the first king that we’ve ever had and everybody loves him so much, and so it was really nice to do that for him,” Ndungu said

   Along with the king, the traditional queen received her crown that evening. Norwood plays on the basketball team as well as softball and volleyball.

   “Winning Homecoming Queen felt surreal. I never in my life thought I would have the opportunity and never thought I’d be the ‘popular’ vote. The most memorable part was Jaida and my dad. My dad hugged me and told me that I looked beautiful, and my best friend cried because she was prouder of me than anyone I had ever known. It also was amazing to have my guy best friend (Braxton) announce my name,” Norwood said.

   The following Saturday, the school hosted the homecoming dance in the storm shelter. The King and Queen presided over the dance themed disco.

   “I was glad to be a part of something like that, especially with a kid who is the most deserving, loving, and open hearted person. It’s great knowing I got to stand alongside someone like him,” Norwood said.