BY MIKAYLA STEARNS
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Student Government is implementing major changes to the dance court selection process. The class is polishing a plan that would eliminate the title of “king” and “queen” in favor of “top honorees” and make the ratio of boys to girls fluid, no longer requiring a court of five boys and five girls.

A minimum of two girls and two boys would be the only requirement for the court of ten students.

“The rest of the six can be either gender,” dance commissioner Morgan Gori said. “So it could be eight girls on court and two boys on court, or it could be eight boys on court.”

With the new plan, the two top honorees could be a combination of genders: girl and girl, boy and boy or the traditional boy and girl. According to Student Government adviser Lindsey Parker, the method allows for more choice and individuality.
The changes would be put into effect in time for Casaba in January.

“The time crunch is very real though, because we have to start nominations like, [last] week,” Parker said. “Because we have to get them done before break, Casaba is January twenty third, and that doesn’t give us enough turn around time.”

Honorees would be allowed to walk with anyone they chose, and not be assigned to another court member for the rally.

“[Walking partners] could be a teacher, or a staff member, or a parent or a friend,” Parker said. “We’d have ten intros.”

The nomination process will not be altered, other than the addition of a rubric on the nomination sheet so fellow students can see what requirements the nominees should meet. The rubric categories will include service to the school, service outside of school, GPA, extracurriculars and overall character. Nomination forms can now be filled out and submitted online.

“We are going to put together an actual rubric,” Parker said. “It’ll be on the actual nomination form. So when you’re nominating your friends, you can see exactly what the teacher is going to see and how the teachers are going to pick.”

Senior Bryen Mariano doesn’t see the point in the dance court changes.

“I think the changes weren’t really necessary,” Mariano said. “I liked when there was a queen and a king. I don’t think it needed to be changed but I guess if they’re trying something new it’s not a bad thing.”

Fellow senior Logan Lambrechtsen believes the new plan for the honorees is an unconventional approach by the school.

“Yeah, I think it’s lame because we always talk about how we are a school of tradition and now we are changing traditional things,” Lambrechtsen said.time.”

Honorees would be allowed to walk with anyone they chose, and not be assigned to another court member for the rally.

“[Walking partners] could be a teacher, or a staff member, or a parent or a friend,” Parker said. “We’d have ten intros.”

The nomination process will not be altered, other than the addition of a rubric on the nomination sheet so students can see what requirements the nominees should meet. The rubric categories will include service to the school, service outside of school, GPA, extracurriculars and overall character. Nomination forms can now be filled out and submitted online.

“We are going to put together an actual rubric,” Parker said. “It’ll be on the actual nomination form. So when you’re nominating your friends, you can see exactly what the teacher is going to see and how the teachers are going to pick.”

According to Gori, the change was motivated by the need of the student body.

“A lot of groups on campus have expressed a want for a change in court,” Gori said. “We’ve seen that, so we thought we would take that into consideration.”

Senior Bryen Mariano doesn’t see the point in the dance court changes.

“I think the changes weren’t really necessary,” Mariano said. “I liked when there was a queen and a king. I don’t think it needed to be changed but I guess if they’re trying something new it’s not a bad thing.”

Fellow senior Logan Lambrechtsen believes the new plan for the honorees is an unconventional approach by the school.
“Yeah, I think it’s lame because we always talk about how we are a school of tradition and now we are changing traditional things,” Lambrechtsen said.

For Toj Davis, apathy overcomes the preference for the old court system and titles.
“Yeah, I like the five boys and five girls better, but I’m not really tripping,” Davis said.