Redwood Alumnus join Rangers to crown Homecoming King Noe Viveros and Queen Lexi

By: Donya Hassanshahi

On September 2nd, the Homecoming King and Queen were announced at the annual Homecoming Varsity Football game during halftime.

Redwood’s 2022-2023 Homecoming week consisted of a variety of events. Freshmen participated in their first Homecoming through dress up days, while seniors experienced their final Homecoming as Rangers and the top ten King and Queen nominees indulged in lunchtime activities.

During the varsity Football game against Tulare Western Friday September 2nd, it was revealed that Noe Viveros, ’23 and Lexi Ellis were crowned King and Queen at halftime.

Redwood Alumnus Eczequiel Jaurrieta, former King, and Brianna Abney, former Queen, appeared to crown Viveros and Ellis.

Viveros was nominated by Ranger TV. He says that his nomination has impacted the course taught by the video teacher, Mr. Henshaw. “In recent years, Ranger TV has been one of the more popular classes, and to my knowledge, I am the only Homecoming nominee for Ranger TV to win,” he adds.

According to Viveros, he and Ellis campaigned in effort to support each other, “We were campaigning partners and both of us winning is obviously a bonus, so that was really cool.”

As a player on the varsity football team and nominee in the top five, Viveros says he, “felt really good. [He] was happy to be in top five and [he] was satisfied even if [he] didn’t win; I was already happy to be up there and I was excited for [the] Friday [game].”

Viveros says that upon obtaining this title as King, he will encourage fellow Rangers to get involved and spread positivity amongst the Redwood community:

“That night, I was saying that I got two wins and I want to carry on those wins into the rest of the football season and the incoming baseball season. I just love that I started off my senior year with a great experience.”

Noe Viveros, ’23 regarding his role as HOCO King and Varsity football captain

Ellis was nominated by ASB. She says that this nomination impacted her influence and members in ASB. “I feel that I was a good role-model for ASB; there’s a lot of people who have recently been wanting to join ASB and see all of the events that we do. It’s cool to have that title knowing that I represent my club well,” she says.

When campaigning, Ellis says that she and Viveros collaborated as the week progressed. Both candidates made separate shirts and Ellis prepared goodie-bags reading ‘vote for Lexi’. On Friday, she and Viveros distributed cookies with their names on them.

She was surprised to be among the top five nominee. In the moment of being crowned as Queen, Ellis says she, “felt so amazing knowing that I had so much support this early on in the year. We are barely a month into the school year and knowing that I won and got all that support from my school felt so nice.”

With the title of HOCO Queen, Ellis says she will “go around and make [her] school feel loved. As important that [she] felt on Homecoming, it’s important that [she] make[s] others feel that way too. [She] want[s] to spread positivity around and make the campus a better place.”

Ellis has reflected on her win as she prepares for the remainder of her senior year:

“It’s bittersweet; it’s happy to know that I’ve won, but it’s sad to know that it’s over and it will be my last [year], but it gives me the optimism to make the rest of the year great. Everything I do, I’m going for it knowing I’m going to give it my all.”

Lexi Ellis, ’23 regarding her ambitions for the school year

Both Viveros and Ellis look forward to spreading a positive impact at Redwood and crafting an environment where all students are involved.

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