Black History Month
Special section
Homecoming queen
Black homecoming queen makes history
Since
she doesn’t consider herself a cheerleader type or “girly-girl,”
LaBritt (“Britt”) Whitehead was shocked to be crowned Fred C. Beyer High
School’s Homecoming Queen this past fall. For someone who “hangs with
the guys and chills,” rather than concerning herself with trying to look
a certain way, the athletic senior feels honored by the title.
As
the first black homecoming queen in the 32-year history of the Modesto
high school, and possibly the first in the area, Britt calls her win
“just amazing.” She’s pleased that her friends and others can see past
color and identity to give her this opportunity. Her achievement is even
more remarkable when one considers that just 3.4 percent of Beyer High
School’s 3,068 students are African-American.
Outgoing and
friendly, Britt talks to everybody. “I don’t just stick to one group of
people,” she says. Interestingly, the homecoming queen title spans
beyond popularity. To qualify, students must have good grades and
participate in a sport.
At Beyer, girls’ fall sports include
cross-country, tennis, golf, soccer, volleyball and cheerleading. “Your
team nominates a group of people and you represent your team for that
sport,” Britt explains. The eligible names were written on a ballot and
the class voted for its homecoming king and queen.
Another
exciting contest is just around the corner for Britt, who competes for
the “California’s Homecoming Queen” title March 12 and 13 in Buena Park.
Entrants are judged on a combination of a personal interview and prom
gown competition. There are no swimsuit or talent requirements. All
participants and their schools receive plaques honoring the homecoming
queen.
The state winner receives a scholarship of approximately
$400 to the college or university of her choice, a trip to Disneyland in
July and the opportunity to compete nationally. State finalists will
proceed to the “America’s Homecoming Queen,” national contest sponsored
by America’s Homecoming Queenf Inc., a Tennessee nonprofit corporation.
The
national winner receives a $2,000 scholarship and a trip to the pageant
to crown her successor. In addition, she is the Liberty Bowl Queen,
visits St. Jude Hospital, attends banquets and more.
In the
meantime, Britt, who is actively involved in school activities including
cross-country, track, Spanish club and in prior years, the Black
Student Union, stays busy. She also puts in several hours a week at
Standiford Place retirement facility in Modesto where she serves meals
to seniors.
Britt plans to attend a California State University
campus in Northridge or Long Beach, where she will pursue a major in
medicine to become an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports
medicine. Right now she’s taking AP psychology to understand how the
mind works. “You think you’ve got it figured out, and then (you find
that) there’s so much more you can learn,” Britt says. “It’s kind of
fun.”
To help make the world a better place, she says, “I just
want to try to help people and educate them about different aspects of
life so they won’t make the same mistakes that people of our prior
generations have made,” Britt says. Her hopes for the future are to “be
happy and complete all the goals I’ve set.”
>caption:
Crowning achievement: Beyer High School’s first black homecoming queen,
LaBritt Whitehead, will compete in the state homecoming queen
competition in March.
© HHWS for The Modesto Bee
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