Although many in-person events have been shifted online in order to preserve the safety of students and staff, crowning homecoming royalty still remains a timeless tradition. This year, Chamblee Homecoming took the form of Spirit Week, which consisted of dress-up days, a fall-themed bake-off, an outdoor scavenger hunt, and a Spirit Week Homecoming Court. CCHS Spirit Week Royalty were selected virtually by their fellow students and commemorated for exhibiting Chamblee’s most valuable qualities, even during these challenging times. 

While they did not have a traditional homecoming experience, the candidates maintain that the excitement and memories of Spirit Week will remain with them as they navigate through their lives to college and beyond. 

The following is a Q&A between The Blue & Gold and this year’s Spirit Week Royalty:

2020 Spirit Week Queen Claire Turney

How did you feel when you found out you were Spirit Week Queen?

I was completely surprised and so just so overwhelmingly happy. When it first happened, I saw my parents walk in the door before they had announced my name and I was like, “Oh my god, it’s me.” […] On the car ride home, I cried in my car for 10 minutes. I was going crazy just thinking about all the people I don’t even know at Chamblee that must have voted for me. I’m probably going to remember this for the rest of my life.

What is something (if anything) you missed about having Homecoming during a normal year?

I think the biggest tradition I missed was like, the Friday night football game where they present all of the queens and announce the king and queen in front of everyone. It would have been so glorious. But I feel like they even saved some of that by doing it at swim practice where there were other Chamblee kids there. 

What are you involved in inside and outside of school?

I am an NHS (National Honor Society) officer, captain of varsity volleyball and varsity swim. I also play varsity lacrosse at Chamblee. [I’m] senior class president, yearbook editor-in-chief, and I’m really involved at my church.

What will you miss most about Chamblee?

I’m just going to miss the structure of Chamblee and being on these [sports] teams and seeing people in the hallway and smiling. I think it’s also going to be weird that I spent 12 years at normal school, and then it’s over. That’s the feeling everyone has at graduation, but I can’t imagine.

2020 Spirit Week Queen Runner-Up Kelly Ramos

How did you feel when you found out you were Spirit Week Queen Runner-Up?

Well I was at swim practice, and I just got out of the pool, so I was caught off guard. I was so surprised, like I didn’t think I would go far when I was nominated, so I was really surprised.

What is something (if anything) you missed about having Homecoming during a normal year?

Obviously, times are different, but I feel like Hoco week would’ve been a really good one and all. I mean, things changed, but I’m so proud that we could pull something like this. I know other schools didn’t do anything, and I appreciate what everyone did!

What are you involved in inside and outside of school?

I’m in SGA (Student Government Association), I’m student body president, I’m HoPe (Hispanic Organization Promoting Education) president, Conexión Latina member, NHS member, and I’m in No Place For Hate. I have a quinceañera choreography business, and I’ve been doing it since my freshman year. I also help my mom at our family business most of the time. 

What will you miss most about Chamblee?

I’ll miss the clocks not working, no soap in the bathroom, etc… But seriously, I will miss always going to bug Ms. Campbell before and after school and after lunch, talking to my favorite teachers like Mrs. Porter and Mr. Ely, and also walking so much to get from one place to another every day.

2020 Spirit Week King Victor Lim

How did you feel when you found out you were Spirit Week Queen Runner-Up?

I was shopping at Sam’s Club and Ms. Clark called me and she was like, “Victor, I need your help carrying some stuff to announce the queen because you live near the Lakeside area.” I showed up, and [I understood that I was king because] she announced Kelly first and then Claire, and she didn’t even let me hand out the roses. My reaction was kinda hidden by the mask, but I was really in shock.

What is something (if anything) you missed about having Homecoming during a normal year?

I guess I miss just dressing up, taking pictures, the football game before, and maybe like the parade. But besides that, it’s really not as much as compared to what we’ve already missed out on.

What are you involved in inside and outside of school?

I’m captain of tennis, I do kendo outside of school, which is like Japanese sword fighting, I play piano and viola, I am NHS vice president, I am in math team leadership, I am senior class secretary, and I’m also in Interact, Beta, and Science Olympiad.

What will you miss most about Chamblee?

I’m going to definitely miss the people at Chamblee. Most of these people I’ve grown up with since fourth grade. And then I’m going to definitely miss the structure of Chamblee, like the physical building. Like just being stuck in traffic on the central stairway and walking up the stairs every day.