With the stadium lights shining down, the smell of fresh concessions in the air, and the drum roll buzzing in the background of an almost silent crowd, fans at Battlin’ Bear Stadium waited to hear who would be crowned the next Homecoming King and Queen. As the drum roll stopped, Clyde Jones’ name was announced as the 2013 King and the crowd went wild. Not long after, Bailey Newton was crowned as the Queen and fans responded with even more applause and cheers.

Both seniors were nominated and selected by their peers and according to Jones, winning felt really good.

“I was so surprised,” he said. “I started to cry.”

One of Jones’ favorite moments of the night was when last year’s Homecoming King Dustin Ducharme presented the crown to him.

As well as being a loved member of the student body, Jones is a member of Special Olympics, where he competes in Flag Football, Bowling, Basketball, Track and Field, and Bocce.

“(My favorite sport is) track because I like to win medals,” he said.

As well as being involved in many sports, Jones enjoys his Theater Arts class and watching movies such as “Get Smart” and “Charlie’s Angels.”

According to Newton, the best part of being crowned Queen was being able to enjoy being on the court with Jones, who is a good friend of hers. She said she wasn’t expecting to be crowned and is very thankful for the experience.

“The experience was great and the excitement of the crowd made it all the better,” she said.

For Newton, Homecoming wasn’t just about being on the court and dressing up. She also had to get ready to cheer at the game immediately following the court ceremony.

“It wasn’t that stressful,” Newton said. “I am used to being busy all the time. It just made time go by really fast.”

Along with cheer, Newton is also involved in Student Council, Meet in the Middle, HOSA, and the yearbook staff, where she currently serves as Editor.