By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Chosen from among five other girls, St. Charles Catholic High School senior Ashira Stanton was named Homecoming Queen during last Friday’s football game against Thomas Jefferson, but this title comes with a little extra weight.

Stanton, 18, is the first African-American student in school history to be named Homecoming Queen.

“I feel terrific, I love it,” Stanton said. “To be selected queen was a surprise in itself, but to know that I’m the first African American to hold the title … I just feel honored.”

Stanton said the announcement came as a complete shock to her. She said she was “super nervous” the entire night, so the thought of winning never really crossed her mind.

“Even when they said my name, I was like ‘Who, me?’” Stanton said. “I couldn’t have been more excited.”

Stanton added that she was not aware that night that she was the first African American to hold the title and added she was just told the news this week. She now moves on to participate in a statewide event that will determine Louisiana’s representative in the Homecoming Queen of America competition next year.

“I’m honored to be chosen because I love the people at St. Charles Catholic,” Stanton said. “We are just one big happy family, and it means a lot.”

Stanton said she plans to enroll at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond where she eventually hopes to go into pre-med to become a pediatrician.

“I like helping people, especially kids,” Stanton said.

Stanton is the Relay for Life team captain at SCC as well as a member of the Drama, Science, Music Appreciation and Spanish clubs.