NEWLY CROWNED HOMECOMING ROYALTY UNVEIL RULING AGENDA
By James Berneking

The student body witnessed the crowning of a new Homecoming King and Queen during the Students-Alumni soccer game on Saturday afternoon; the culmination of a week-long celebration of school thumos.

The seniors nominated four men and four women from their class to be the Homecoming Court. David Lapp, Matt Lind, Matt Meisinger, and John Wagner vied for Homecoming King, and Laurie Fillingame, Hope Hodge, Rachel Jones, and Ame Luere contended for Homecoming Queen. From this group of phenomenal seniors, the entire student body voted to name the king and queen via the Student Portal on Friday.

After reading a short bio on each of the candidates during half-time at the soccer game, the emcee announced the winners. Matt Meisinger, the “boyishly handsome Director of Finance” received his scepter and sash as the Homecoming King of The King’s College. Ame Luere, the energetically dramatic “world record holder for the most blood donated by an indigenous person” (she’s Cherokee) accepted the title of royal Highness for 2008. Only moments after the announcement was made, the pair excitedly discussed how they would use their new powers to influence the strategic institutions of the world.

Thoughtfully considering the needs of her subjects, Queen Luere plans to use her power to serve the student body. She said that the first issue she wanted to address was the need for an “omelet man” at TKC to custom-make omelets for students each morning. “I am going to be an advocate for the omelet man—we’ll see what [President] Fillingame says,” she said.

Speaking of the experience of being voted the Homecoming Queen, one of the most prestigious social honors at TKC, she exclaimed that it was “quite exhilarating.”” She was honored to be competing against such remarkable students. “Everyone was so good,”” she said of her fellow nominees. Queen Luere is not letting her newly acquired power affect her generous spirit. She was already sharing the royal sprit with two young girls who were at the soccer with their parents. Luere gave each of them one of her long-stem roses and encouraged them to be princesses. That loving and inspirational spirit is the reason why Ame Luere is the Homecoming Queen of 2008.

Meisinger was quite enthusiastic about using his new power to affect change. “Ruling a college is one step closer to influencing strategic institutions,” he said. If Luere embodies the mercy necessary for a ruler, Meisinger is the epitome of the justice. His first act will be “to establish a proper throne room in the Lower Lobby where he can preside over kingdom matters large and small.””

He seems to be taking to the role quite naturally already. When expressing his feelings about his new powerful position, he said that it is just “another day in the neighborhood.”

Whether this nonchalant attitude is evidence of the natural aptitude of philosopher-king or indicative of Machiavellian abuses remains to be seen.

A version of this story originally appeared in The King’s College student newspaper, The Student Voice. Berneking, a junior, hails from Washington State.