PARKER, S.D. (KELO) — Homecoming is a special and memorable time of year for high school students.
There’s, of course, the football game, sometimes a parade and other fun activities all week long.
But this year in Parker, homecoming is extra special for one family.
A game of kickball is just one of the activities students get to participate in during homecoming week in Parker.
But you might really get a kick out of this.
“I thought about it, but I didn’t think it was going to happen,” 17-year-old Parker senior Ashlynn said.
Ashlynn and Jarret, two farm kids from Parker, were both up for homecoming king and queen this past Monday night.
The two have a lot in common.
“We’re both kind of shy, we are not super talkative,” Ashlynn said.
“She’s probably more shy than I am, she’s more of a stay-at-home kind of person,” Jarret said.
They also race cars together. Don’t ask them who’s better.
But here’s what else they have in common.
Their last name. Ashlyn, who is 17 and Jarret, who is 18, are both Wildeboers; yep they’re brother and sister.
On Monday night during the coronation, Ashlynn and Jarret Wildeboer were crowned homecoming king and queen.
Parker High School isn’t sure if that’s ever happened before…..across the entire state.
They announced Ashlynn first. Obviously, she was beyond thrilled, but then the unexpected happened.
“I was hugging my friends who were also nominated and then I heard his name and I turned around and I was so happy for him,” Ashlynn said.
“I never thought I was going to get it at all, I thought one of my friends was going to get it,” Jarret said.
But ask any of their friends and they will tell you the Wildeboers were the obvious choice, because both are great role models.
“And they’re both super nice kids they’d do anything for anyone,” junior Kaitlan Laible said.
“Whenever I’m around those two they are nice to everybody,” junior Taylor Coleman said.
A wild week for the Wildeboers and a crowning moment they’ll cherish for life.
“I was like this is my once-in-a-lifetime high school experience pretty cool,” Ashlynn said.
Ashlynn says she isn’t sure what she’s doing after graduation yet.
Jarret says he plans to become an architectural engineer.
