Redwood Homecoming Top 10 Perspectives

By Olivia Gonzalez and Bella Aldridge

As Homecoming Week 2021-2022, the Redwood Homecoming King and Queen were announced.

After some time to reflect on the week, top 10 nominees gave their perspectives on how the week was for them.

Brianna Abney

Redwood Homecoming Queen Brianna Abney ‘22 was nominated by the Redwood Cheer Team, where she serves as a four year varsity cheerleader.

Alongside this, Abney has danced her way through high school by dancing in the dance program all four years.

When seeing the multicolored balloons Friday night during the reveal she says it was, “really shocking and I was just very happy, I was overwhelmed with joy.”

The week in general for Abney was, “a lot of fun, and I liked getting to know the other nominees, because I’ve never really talked to a lot of them before, so it was fun to bond with them.”

Abney says she was surrounded by the, “sweetest and most humble group of girls, and could not have asked for a better positive environment then the one provided.”

Abney would also like to thank her cheerleader squad and all the friends that supported her throughout the week.

Alayla Ayala

Alayla Ayala ‘22 was another homecoming queen nominee, and was nominated by Redwood Ranger T.V.

Like Abney, Ayala is another 4 year member of the varsity cheer squad.

Ayala describes the week of Homecoming to be, “super super fun, it’s something I will never forget.”

Ayala would also like to take the time to thank everyone who voted and supported her, “I am extremely grateful and I love you all!”.

Ayala continued by saying, “I love Redwood and I love my peers. To represent them and for them to vote for me means the world to me.”

Alysa Betiong

Redwood Homecoming Queen nominee Alysa Betiong, ‘22 was nominated by the Hip-Hop club, where she serves as a two year member and Vice-President.

Alongside hip hop, Betiong also runs track, and serves as one of this season’s flag runners.

Outside of school, Betiong owns and runs a crochet business and also is a gymnastics coach.

Betiong described homecoming week to be really fun as she, “met a lot of people, and it helped me to get out of my comfort zone.”

She says that in the start of the week, she was, “nervous to go out and talk to everyone, but after that week I feel I have a lot more confidence.”

Betiong encourages, “everyone [students], especially if it is your senior year to go out and have fun, because it really does go by so fast.

Eczequiel Jaurrieta

Eczequiel Jaurrieta ’22 is Redwood’s first official Homecoming King.

Jaurrieta has been very involved in things around Redwood, including two years of ASB, where he was the Friday Night Football DJ.

This year he is a flag runner for the football games.

On the athletic side of Redwood, Jaurrieta is currently in his fourth and final year as a varsity wrestler and also does Track.

Jaurrieta says he loves going out to all sporting events throughout Redwood and showing his support.

Jaurrieta explained the whole week to be really fun, and he liked, “getting to dress up with everyone and get dressed crazier and more spirited than normal.”

During the Friday night reveal, Jaurrieta explained that his house had seemed to feel pretty light, so when he saw the multi colored balloons fly up, he did not expect it and says he was, “super shocked and super happy.”

Daniel Padilla

Daniel Padilla, ‘22, nominated by Fashion Club was one of the first male homecoming nominees at Redwood. Padilla shares the insight of his experience following up the past week.

The homecoming traditions of lunchtime activities were one of Padilla’s favorite parts of the week. He adds that, “It was also fun cause you get to dress up too.”

With all the excitement, Padilla explains that, “[He] wasn’t really expecting [to be nominated] but [he] was really excited.”

Throughout the week, Padilla says his favorite part, “was probably Friday, just sitting there with all the nominees. We all looked pretty.”

Padilla was able to experience the week with his fellow nominees and felt good to represent the males.

Jackson Ford

Nominee Jackson Ford ’22 was nominated by the Students Against Trafficking club.

Along with this club, Jackson has also been involved with CSF, FBLA, and Redwood Soccer.

Reflecting on the week, Ford says that the whole week in general was, “really fun and was a really positive experience.”

Ford says that he really loved all the positive energy throughout the week and all the hype from students and staff around Redwood leading up to Friday night.

Ford also says, “ASB’s efforts to bring us all together through dress up days and lunch time activities was really nice and special.”

I wasn’t only rooting for myself, I was also rooting for them all too.

Jackson Ford

Ethan Griffiths

Ethan Griffiths ’22 is yet another nominee that was in the running for Redwood Homecoming King.

Griffiths was nominated in the new club, Coffee Club. Along with these, Griffiths is in CSF and the Key club.

He also plays for the Redwood Varsity Football team and Track.

Griffiths says that he had a lot of fun throughout the week with all the lunch time activities.

Griffiths also says that his favorite part of the week was, “cowboy day, because it was to see all the different outfits.”

Griffiths concluded by saying he is happy for both Abney and Jaurrieta for winning.

Lucky Reyno

Lucky Reyno ‘22 was the 5th to be Nominated for the spot of Homecoming King.

Reyno was nominated by ASB and this is his first year in ASB.

Reyno is involved in a number of sports at Redwood, including Football, Basketball and Track.

The whole week for Reyno was, “pretty fun, getting to dress up was a cool feature.”

Reyno says that the school spirit was really great, and that he is glad and proud to be a Ranger.

Tags: clubs & lifestyles, hoco2021, homecoming, homecoming nominees, homecoming week 2021, rangers, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, rhs