BY CORBEN SHOEMAKER

Ironically, Timothy Spaeth is not a normal face seen at high school dances.

He has only attended his freshman and sophomore homecomings, and this year’s senior year prom.

“I don’t usually feel like spending my own money on something I don’t enjoy that much,” said Spaeth. He said that tickets and meals get pricey.

“I didn’t enjoy dances that much because I’m not much of a dancer” Spaeth claimed, “I don’t love huge groups. I’m more of a conversation person.”

The 2019 Mariemont prom proved a different story.

Spaeth decided to attend his senior prom because it was “a culmination” of his high school career.  It’s the last “big deal” dance.

Spaeth mentioned that the pre-prom meeting was the first encounter he had with the idea of prom king.

“I had my name being whispered around at the meeting as a potential candidate,” Spaeth said.

Soon after the meeting, students began advertising for Spaeth to be prom king, sending out group texts, posting on social media, and a “door-to-door” technique talking to people in the hallways.

“I’d say the movement to make me prom king was the most monumental cultural insurgence since the French Revolution,” Spaeth stated.

After preliminary voting, the prom court was decided on Wednesday, May 22 and Spaeth was a finalist.

“It meant nothing. If you aren’t first, you’re last,” said Spaeth. The finalists included Jacob Cox, Nolan Buck, Alan Smith, Hunter Riportella, Tim Spaeth, Stephanie Frey, Grace Amlung, Chloe Shenton, Margot Baumgartner, and Anna Harding.

On the evening of Prom night (Friday, April 24) Spaeth stood behind a door at the Hall of Mirrors, white-knuckled and clammy, eagerly waiting to hear the results of the final voting in front of the attendees. “It was kind of weird having all these people look at you,” Spaeth said. “It was awkward for sure.”

Spaeth then stood confidently on the dance floor as the envelope was opened that held the winner. “I thought I had a good chance of winning, but you never know.”

Finally, the name was called and “Tim Spaeth” rang over the loudspeakers.

“It was a whirlwind of emotions, and honestly, it would be disrespect the experience to try and put it into words.” Spaeth was presented with a crown and a dance with the prom queen, Chloe Shenton.

“Overall it was a lot of fun. I would definitely do it all over again if I had the chance.”