In addition to the much-anticipated football comeback win against El Camino College last Saturday (41-31); Cerritos students had another reason to celebrate the half time coronation of the 2001/2002 Homecoming Queen Claudia Geldis.

Geldis, sponsored by the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance club, was crowned after a week of hard campaigning by all seven members of the Homecoming Court.

“We had fun, met many people and found out we had many things in common with each other,” said Homecoming Princess Betty Sanchez, who was backed by the Disabled Students club.

The coronation ceremony began with a traditional rolling out of a red carpet for the Homecoming Court.

The court consisted of Claudia Geldis, FMLA; Laura Weissenberg, Football; Erica Cruz, Phi Theta Kappa; Eileen Arencibia, WPMD Radio; Sarah Nord, Scholars Honors; Varangana Punchihewa, International Students and Betty Sanchez, Disabled Students.

Each woman was escorted to the stage by a friend or family member and was introduced by Master of Ceremonies Wayne Nunnery.

After the coronation of the Homecoming Queen, the halftime activities included a parade of 17 floats pushed, pulled and dragged around the football field.

This year’s Homecoming theme was “Movie Classics” and various Cerritos College clubs each selected, built and decorated a different float.

Prior to the coronation, the court members spent a good deal of time gently ribbing each other and speculating among themselves as to who the final winner would be.

“We each hoped to win, but were still happy for whoever got the crown,” said Princes Erica Cruz.

Commensurate with her platform of Homecoming being about more than just looks or popularity, Geldis is planning to enlarge the role and scope of the Homecoming Queen.

“I want to outreach to the students and the community in an official capacity as Homecoming Queen.” said Geldis I want people to realize that the more you come to accept yourself, the more you will not let other people put you down.”

Geldis is planing on helping to help promote the FMLA’s “Love your Body” workshop which will be held next month. The program will assist women with warped ideals of self to come to terms with who they are and to not judge their looks according to external ideals.