Disabled students named Jackson Homecoming king, queen

Hunter Ross and Laina Wohrle proved just because someone might be different doesn't mean they can't have a rich high-school experience.

Both students have disabilities, but they have become a part of the student body so successfully, the pair Friday were crowned Jackson High School Homecoming king and queen.

Hunter isn't very verbal, his mother Sandy said, but he makes up for it with vim and character.

"The kids who have been with Hunter since kindergarten have been great," she said. "Hunter likes to give them high-fives and that sort of thing."

A sports fan, Hunter also competes in the Special Olympics. He's a track and field guy, running the 50-meter dash, doing the softball throw and the standing long jump. He also helps keep things running smoothly on the sidelines at football games.

"They're helping him be included in sports without being able to play them," she said.

"I think it's amazing, the way that the school treats Hunter and Laina," Laina's mother, Melinda Wohrle, said. "They look past their disabilities and see them as people."

Laina stays active by volunteering at church, participating in a special-needs cheerleading group and, like any other teen, keeping up with her favorite TV shows.

"It's fun," Laina said. "I like cheerleading."

"She's very empathetic to her classmates and friends," Melinda said.

And now that she holds the coveted crown, what's the best part about being Homecoming Queen?

"Holding the flowers," Laina said.

tgraef@semissourian.com

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