by Anika Jain (’22) | November 19, 2021
Homecoming Court in the Prayer Garden. Nominees pictured in back row (from left to right): Porsche Trinidad, Hailey Multz, Kushal Chatterjee, Brody Ghashghai, Marc Orlando, Jewel Merriman, Leo Vagnati, Joe Wallace, Ella McConnell, Aiden Sanchez. Winners pictured in front row (from left to right): Sarah Vorrath, Caroline Arangio. Photos by Ava Hennen (’22). 
Homecoming group (from left to right): Sarah Vorrath, Aiden Sanchez, Caroline Arangio. Photo by Ava Hennen (’22). 
Homecoming group pictured (from left to right): Kushal Chatterjee, Porsche Trinidad, Leo Vagnati, Jewel Merriman. Photo by Ava Hennen (’22). 
Homecoming group pictured (from left to right): Hailey Multz, Brody Ghashghai, Joe Wallace, Ella McConnell. Photo by Ava Hennen (’22).
One of Saint Francis’s most beloved traditions is the Homecoming Court, which consists of student leaders from the senior class who best represent the school values and integrity. Only the seniors vote on the nominees, but the final two winners are chosen by a school-wide vote. Upon learning more about each of the nominees, who star in skits during the annual Play Day Rally, the student body chooses who most deserves to be crowned Homecoming “royalty” for their school-spirit and upstanding character.
This year’s court featured some of the best nominees yet, including Caroline Arangio, Kushal Chatterjee, Brody Ghashghai, Ella McConnell, Jewel Merriman, Hailey Multz, Marc Orlando, Aiden Sanchez, Porsche Trinidad, Leo Vagnati, Sarah Vorrath, and Joe Wallace.
The twelve nominees were in high spirits as they congregated for their photoshoot in the Prayer Garden, for what Wallace described as their “last get-together as Homecoming Court nominees.”
While sharing anecdotes about the nominees’ memorable interactions organizing skits for the Homecoming Rally and campaigning for votes, Merriman added that being on this year’s Homecoming Court was “a real learning experience” for students and administrators.
McConnell quipped, “I think we all did really well [on our skits] for preparing the night before and the day of [the rally].”
Agreeing with McConnell, Trinidad expressed that being on the Homecoming Court was a “group effort.”
Vagnati felt the overall experience was fun, but exhausting. “I would probably not want to do this again,” he said with a laugh. “But if I were to redo the experience, I would put more effort into the skit. We weren’t planning on having the worst skit of [the Class of] 2022, but we did it anyway.” Vagnati starred in a Star Wars-themed skit with Merriman, Chatterjee, and Trinidad. However, his fellow nominees were quick to jump in and share that they enjoyed his group’s skit, and that they similarly procrastinated on their productions.
Many nominees expressed that they most enjoyed making friends along the way. Vagnati said, “I came out [of the experience] with plenty more friends, including Haily Multz. We’re best friends now.” The court is excited about the legacy they are leaving behind at Saint Francis.
Wallace concluded, “I’m just glad that my homies Sarah and Caroline won. That was the best part of the Homecoming experience.”
