Fox Chapel Area High School crowns new homecoming king, queen after carnival

Fox Chapel Area High School has a new royal couple.

Seniors Finnegan McManus and Emma Kurtz, both of Blawnox, were crowned homecoming king and queen Oct. 11.

Halftime of the high school football game between the Fox Chapel Foxes and Plum Mustangs at the high school stadium was filled with fanfare as the court was announced. Both Finnegan and Emma said they were surprised and honored to be selected.

“I didn’t expect it,” Emma said shortly after being crowned. “I love it so much, though. It’s so much fun. I’m so grateful to go here. Everyone’s so nice. It such a good community, and it feels like home.”

Emma is a member of the National Honor Society, a cheerleader and a student ambassador. She commended her fellow court members.

“It was a good run and they deserve it just as much as we did,” said Emma.

Her first royal decree was for everyone to be even nicer to each other and promote peace.

Finnegan is a former baseball player and member of multiple student groups, including the pickleball club and yearbook staff. He said it was a very democratic process to become part of a monarchy.

“I did a lot of recruiting, and in this moment, it all paid off,” he said. “It feels great. I absolutely campaigned for it. It felt like a presidency. I worked my butt off to really get to where I am right now. It’s a great time. I’m going to have a lot of fun with it. It’s so cool to have this.”

Kerr Elementary pre-K students Yusuf Sharifzoda and Lour Aweidah served as the homecoming prince and princess. They presented the king’s crown and the queen’s tiara, respectively.

The king and queen announcement would sadly be one of the few Fox Chapel Area highlights on the field. The Mustangs dominated the Foxes in a 35-0 shutout.

“I think homecoming is such a wonderful opportunity for the Fox Chapel Area School District community to be together, to enjoy each other’s company, to support our students, to welcome back our alumni and to have a really fun weekend,” said district Superintendent Mary Catherine Reljac.

She was proud to see the huge turnout at the carnival and the game. The homecoming dance took place at the high school on Oct. 11.

Homecoming carnival

The game was preceded by a carnival outside the high school. The carnival featured student clubs.

High school student groups were able to showcase their talents and had a variety of games and treats for children.

The Busking Club provided live music.

The marching band raffled off Pittsburgh Penguins game tickets. The choir had a Plinko game. The Latino heritage club had a soccer game in which children would kick a ball from short and long distances into a net. A student association was selling blankets.

The National Art Honor Society did face painting. Senior Claire Conti said her group really enjoyed the experience.

“It’s great because all these little kids are running around here and they are so excited,” Claire said. “They are either getting matching face paint or they’re getting wolves or foxes. They’re just having a grand ol’ time.

“I think it’s really awesome because it shows the diversity of clubs in our school. We have so many. It’s just wonderful to see that and be able to share that with the kids. It’s not just high schoolers, but it’s middle schoolers. The energy is just amazing. I’m not much of a people person when it comes to big crowds, but man — it’s contagious when you’re up there.”

Emily Butler of Aspinwall watched as her sons, Brooks and Oliver, both 6, got their faces painted.

“It’s a great chance for the community to get out and have some fun, and the weather couldn’t be better,” Butler said. “I feel very lucky that we get to do this kind of stuff.”

Both boys are first graders at O’Hara Elementary.

School board members also had a table set up and mingled with families. Their table featured a board where folks could leave Post-it notes saying what they felt was most important in education.

Some of the responses included less hallway traffic, less homework, being kind and more math.

“It’s such a fun night for the community to come together,” said board member Jessica Haselcorn. “We’re trying to do this more. We’re trying to have a table (at more community events). We’re trying to get conversations started with people that just randomly walk up and say, ‘hello.’ We can invite them to meetings and they can see our faces. It’s a little more friendly than the Zoom meetings. It’s a first step to get people engaged.”

Eighty Four-based Barnyard Petting Zoo provided goats, sheep and other animals for families to feed. Some of the goats were extra hungry and often nibbled on the shirts of people brave enough to enter the pen.

Food trucks included The Roaming Bean, Hibachi Lou, McFeely’s Arctic Ice and Millie’s homemade ice cream.