This week marks the highly anticipated 2022 homecoming festivities at Pitman High School. This year’s theme is “Lights, Camera, Action… Pitman!” Each day of the week, campus community members will be encouraged to dress up according to different film or television references.

This year, there are 18 total nominees, nine for queen and nine for king. Each of the nominees shared some of their favorite hobbies and memories at Pitman, as well as some of their post-graduate plans.

QUEEN NOMINEES

This year’s nominees for queen are Annika Reich, Brionna Bass, Jesenia Miranda, Kaylee Nguyen, Lauren Hamilton, Miranda Jimenez, Reese Carmona, Sydney Lloyd and Tianna Karr.

Karr is a member of Pitman’s Junior State of America and Drama Club. She is an ASB officer, Pride Ambassador, serves on the School Site Council, plays soccer and runs in cross country and track. Outside of school, she volunteers at the Turlock Gospel Mission. She believes that her biggest achievement is balancing her extracurricular activities with her academics. Her plans are to attend a four-year college, major in criminology and become a lawyer.

Carmona is a four-year varsity volleyball player for the Pride. Last season, she earned Best Defensive Player of the Year in the Central California Athletic League. Her future plans include moving to New York and becoming a real estate agent.

Jimenez serves as the treasurer of Pitman’s HYLC. She is a Pride Ambassador, a HOSA member and participates in track. She believes that her biggest achievement is having to endure what life throws at her while maintaining a GPA of over 4.0.  She hopes to pursue a degree in the medical field to become an ultrasound technician.

Bass serves as president for Pitman’s Black Student Union and Kitchens for Change. She is also a member of the cheer team and participates in track and field. She believes her biggest achievement is maintaining a GPA of over 4.0 throughout her high school years, with her top GPA being a 4.6. She plans on attending Clark Atlanta in Georgia with hopes of majoring in Science and Nursing.

Miranda describes herself as being a leader who's ready to take on any challenge and always participates in activities that involve a sense of patriotism. She believes her biggest achievement would be the success she has had in artwork and literature. Miranda plans on majoring in comic arts and living the rest of her life in Minneapolis, Minnesota after college.

Hamilton is a Pride Ambassador and is on the Pride varsity volleyball team. Outside of school, she enjoys being a part of her religious community that serves others. Her biggest achievement in volleyball is being ranked #1 in the state of California for middle blocker hitting percentage. She plans to play college volleyball in Utah after graduation.

Nguyen serves as a Pride Ambassador and is involved in Pitman’s ASB and drama program. Nguyen shared that her biggest achievement is making the Italian sandwich at Togo’s in only 53 seconds. In the future, she plans on moving to a four-year college to major in Business Management.

Lloyd is a member of the Pitman varsity cheer squad and is an assistant teacher at Backstage Academy of Dance. Lloyd is also a member of another dance program giving her the opportunity to travel the world and make new connections. In the future, she would like to become a first grade teacher.

Reich is involved in drama, Pitman ASB, NAMI, Thespians Club and Film Club. She is also a Pride Ambassador and oversees social media for the school’s Green Team. Reich’s biggest achievement is winning the Solar Oven Competition where she baked a chocolate chip cookie to perfection using the sun's rays. She plans to attend college for nursing and eventually become a midwife.

KING NOMINEES

This year’s king nominees are Alex Medina, Dylan Freeman, Gabe Padilla, Grant Vilhauer, Ivan Martinez, Joey Stout, Jonathan Rocha, Marc Ouse and Russell Olvera.

Freeman is a member of the Pride varsity football team and serves as vice president of the Pitman senior class. He shared that his biggest achievement is getting through a major car accident. His future plans include attending college and eventually becoming a firefighter.

Stout is also a member of Pitman’s varsity football team. He serves as the vice president for the school’s Green Team. Stout believes that his biggest achievement is making the varsity football team as a sophomore. His plans to attend college to major in kinesiology and continue to play football.

Ouse is another member of the Pitman varsity football squad. Aside from athletics, Ouse is involved in FFA. He is a Pride Ambassador and serves as the school’s ASB president. He considers being elected to ASB president as his biggest achievement. After college, he hopes to own a business in the agricultural field.

Medina is involved in Pitman’s ASB, the school’s Future Business Leaders of America club, Black Student Union and plays varsity tennis. He had previously run for the Pride’s varsity cross country team. Medina believes that his biggest achievement is being the person he is today. After high school, he plans to attend a four-year university on the East Coast to major in Astrophysics.

Olvera is involved in the school ASB and is a member of the Science Olympiad. He is also a member of the Pitman tennis team. Olvera believes that his biggest achievement is surviving the AP United States History class during his junior year. In the future, he plans to go to college to become a medical researcher.

Vilhauer is on the ASB Cabinet, the School Site Council and is a Pride Ambassador. He is also heavily involved in athletics as he plays baseball and basketball. He believes that his greatest achievement is keeping his grades up throughout high school. After high school, Vilhauer hopes to attend Cal Poly to pursue a degree in science.

Padilla is heavily involved in after-school opportunities, such as being a member of the School Drama Production. Padilla’s biggest achievement is staying on the principal's Honor Roll since seventh Grade. After high school, Padilla plans to go to flight attendant school and graduate college.

Rocha is a member of Pitman’s HYLC and serves as the captain of the Pride varsity soccer team. He shared that his biggest achievement was buying his car. Rocha plans to graduate from a four-year college after high school, particularly a UC.

Martinez is a member of Pitman’s Save Club, which works at keeping the environment clean. Martinez shared that his biggest achievement is having a 3.0 GPA. After high school, he has a goal of becoming an electrician.

Nominees will be crowned during halftime of Pitman’s varsity football game against Gregori on Friday night.