(Photo provided) Front row (Senior female candidates): Katelynn Valandingham, Madelyn Hansell, Caitlin Ellis, Ella Schweikert. Second row (Senior male candidates): Trevin Zimmer, Weston Fairchild, Carter Strauss, Andrew Adams. Third row (Underclassman candidates): Jude Strauss, Madison Fryfogle, Hunter Allen, Brystal Meek, Owen Stauch, Ava Hurley

WATERFORD — Waterford High School held its annual homecoming this week and crowned the homecoming court Friday night.

Activities for this year included a spirit week where students dressed up each day: Monday – Fictional Character day; Tuesday – Minion day; Wednesday – BBQ Dad vs. Soccer Mom day; Thursday – Adam Sandler day; and Friday – Green Out day.

Students participated in Spirit Games on Friday. This included games such as box car racing, a blindfolded obstacle course, balloon popping contest and a bat spinning race. On Wednesday evening, there was Powder Puff volleyball in the Cooper gym, followed by Powder Puff football on the football field.

On Friday, the band kicked off a pep rally for the students and staff that included the student council and cheerleaders.

The homecoming parade and crowning ceremony were held Friday night, followed by the kick off of the Waterford Wildcats and Federal Hocking football game.

The homecoming dance theme was NASCAR and was held Saturday at the Waterford High School gymnasium with music provided by DJ Associates.

Little Miss Waterford for 2025 is Leyla Brown, 5, the daughter of Greg and Morgan Brown. She loves to pick flowers. She wants to be a singer and cheerleader when she grows up.

Little Mister Waterford for 2025 is Jaxon Spindler, 5, the son of Joshua and Lauren Spindler. He loves to go swimming. He wants to be a paleontologist when he grows up.

Little Miss and Little Mister Waterford were escorted by the 2024 Homecoming Queen Hadley Offenberger and 2024 Homecoming King Zavier Heiss. Offenberger is enrolled at Washington State College of Ohio where she is studying criminal justice and will attend police academy in the fall. Heiss is attending Muskingum University where he is studying mathematics to become an adolescent and young adult teacher.

The Parade Marshal this year was Nanette Varnadoe, who worked for Wolf Creek Local Schools for 32 years before retiring in 2024. She was escorted by her husband Perry Varnadoe. She is now enjoying retirement by taking care of her parents, visiting her grandson, and spending time with her family. She plans to travel in retirement.

Freshman class attendant is Brystal Lynn Meek. Meek is the daughter of Andy and Savannah Meek. She plays volleyball and has been on a club volleyball team for three years. Meek is in Spanish club, key club, pep club and serves as freshman class president. She has been a Safety Town volunteer for two years and has been in student council for three years. She enjoys playing volleyball and hanging out with her friends and family. Meek was escorted by Hunter Bradley Allen. Allen is the son of Heath and Miranda Allen. He started playing basketball in 2016 and has been a member of the golf team for two years. He has played baseball since 2017. Allen enjoys golfing, fishing, and hunting. He also likes to hang out with his friends.

Sophomore class attendant is Madison Riley Fryfogle. Fryfogle is the daughter of David Fryfogle and Lisa Stephens. She has been involved in FFA and cheerleading for two years. She enjoys showing livestock, riding horses, drinking Alanis, and traveling. Fryfogle was escorted by Jude Alexander Strauss. Strauss is the son of Zach and Courtney Strauss. He has played football for two years and participated in track for two years. He has been an FFA member for one year. Strauss enjoys spending time outdoors hunting and fishing, working on his and his friends’ trucks, and ripping dirt bikes with his brother and friends.

Junior class attendant is Ava Renee Hurley. She is the daughter of Joni Hurley. Her grandpa, Jerry Close, also escorted her. She has played basketball for three years and has participated in cross country for two years. Hurley has been a student council member for three years and in Spanish club for two years. She has been in pep club for three years and newspaper for one year. She enjoys watching college basketball with her grandpa, running to Taco Bell after basketball practice, and shopping and hanging out with her friends and family. Hurley was escorted by Owen Wade Stauch. Stauch is the son of Bobby and Jennifer Stauch. He has been in FFA and on the soil team for three years. He has also been on the golf team for three years. He enjoys being in air and smallbore Competitive Olympic Rifle Shooting.

This year’s senior queen and king candidates include:

Queen Candidate, Caitlin Elizabeth Ellis, is the daughter of Victor and Kimberly Ellis. Ellis has played volleyball for two years. She has been a class officer for four years and a student council member for three years. She has been in the National Honor Society for two years. Ellis enjoys cooking, baking, and hanging out with her friends. She plans to attend college to become a medical laboratory scientist.

Ellis was escorted by King Candidate, Carter Clement Strauss, son of Casey and Amber Strauss. He has played football for three years. He has been in Spanish club for three years. Strauss is the senior class vice president. He enjoys playing Minecraft and hanging with the boys at the Bees for half price appetizers. Strauss plans to continue his education at Ohio University, join the Air Force ROTC program, and become an officer with the United States Air Force.

Queen Candidate, Madelyn Grace Hansell, is the daughter of Matt and Missy Hansell. She has played volleyball for three years. She has been a cheerleader for three years and has played softball for four years. Hansell has been in FFA for five years and has served as a student council member for four years. She has been class secretary for three years. Hansell has been in Spanish club and pep club for two years. She enjoys menacing with her friends, doing nails, and hanging with the fam. She plans to attend a four-year college and will decide her degree once she is there.

Hansell was escorted by King Candidate, Trevin Allen Zimmer, son of Scott and Jessica Zimmer. He has played football and been a wrestler for four years. He has been a 4-H member for 10 years. He enjoys boating and hanging out with his friends at the Bees. He plans to attend college to become an athletic trainer.

Queen Candidate, Ella Mae Schweikert, is the daughter of Doug and Chris Schweikert. Schweikert has played volleyball for two years and basketball for four years. She has been a track member for four years. Schweikert has been in Spanish club for four years. She is a member of National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. Schweikert has been in pep club and key club for two years and in FFA and on the soils team for one year. She has been part of the St. Bernards youth group for four years and SEARCH Team for three years. Schweikert enjoys hanging out with her friends and family and traveling. She plans to attend a four-year college to major in something within the medical field.

Schweikert was escorted by King Candidate, Andrew Carter Adams, son of Corey and Kelly Adams. He has been on the cross country and track teams for four years. Adams enjoys playing Minecraft and going to the Bees with the boys. He also enjoys cheese tasting, nature walks with Mr. Z, bird watching, chess-boxing, and posting recipes online. He plans to be an Elvis impersonator.

Queen Candidate, Katelynn Riley Valandingham, is the daughter of Dave Huck and Amanda Valandingham. She has played softball for four years and volleyball for two years. She has participated in cheer for four years. Valandingham has been in FFA for five years. She has been a student council member and class president for four years. Valandingham is student body president and a member of National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. She has been a member of key club for two years, pep club for three years, and Spanish club for four years. She enjoys showing livestock at the county and state level and hanging out with her grandma and the fam. She also enjoys acting in school plays and playing with all the barn kittens. Valandingham plans to attend Ohio State’s ATI to further her education in agricultural economics and communication.

Valandingham was escorted by King Candidate, Weston Roe Fairchild, son of Jannessa Stark and Brian Stark. He has played football and basketball for four years. He has played baseball for one year. Fairchild is a member of Spanish National Honor Society and has been in Spanish club for three years. He enjoys boating, hunting, hanging out with his friends, and playing sports. Fairchild plans to begin a five year apprenticeship in the electrician’s union and then go back to school to become an electrical engineer or stay in the union as a journeyman.