Throughout the years, North and many other high schools have included a so called “court” in their school dances. For homecoming and prom, students are selected and nominated by the student body, and are in the running for prom royalty.

Seniors Dalanie Hawkins and Mikayla (Mickey) Neal have been considering running for prom king and queen this school year. “We wanted to win prom king and queen, we were going to put my name in the queen and her [Mikayla] in the king,” Hawkins explained.

Principal Michael Vukovich explained that, it’s not a matter of not allowing same-sex couples to run, but the way homecoming and prom courts have systematically been done in the past. He confirmed, that the only way a same-sex couple, male or female, could be able to run, is if both contestants identified as the gender of the king or queen.

“One way you could have two females in that area, and it’s not really two females because it wouldn’t be, but if there was someone that identified as a male,” Vukovich said, regarding Hawkins and Neal.

Vukovich continued to stress the many other opportunities for same-sex couples have, to be included such as the title of “Best Couple’ in Senior Superlatives, which are categories that students are chosen for by the senior class that appears in the yearbook.

The obstacle of the matter is the system that has been evoked throughout high school history.

Many students of North High School share similarities concerning this possibility and some are outliers to the chance of having same-sex prom court candidates.

Junior, Madison Houska explains, “I think that, if that’s what the school votes, and if that’s something the two people agree on, I think that should be acceptable.”

“I feel like equality, is one of the things we practice most at North High,” Student Body President, Russhaun Johnson states.

The voting processes and dances are coordinated by Polar Bear Senate here at North. Russhaun Johnson, discusses what he can do as the Student Body President, “I feel like there should be a majority vote, stating if Mickey [Mikayla] should be able to run for Prom King and we’ll set it up that way, and then it would be fair.”

Throughout the year, different steps will be taken by the student government, student body and administration to make any changes to the tradition.

As a result, Polar Bear Senate and North High as a whole are continuing to branch out and discuss more possibilities, to further practice equality and acceptance among staff and students.