Arden Dickson, 9

Pathfinder: Who did you ask?
Dickson: Zane Alshekhlee, and he’s a sophomore.

How did you ask?
I made him a poster with a pun from the musical we’re working on. It was a joke about the character that I play. It said, “Bee the Barfeé to my Olive” because in the show, those characters have a thing. I originally planned to give it to him in front of the cast at rehearsal, but I ran into him in the hall and I had it with me, so I decided to just ask him to [King of Hearts] (KOH) there.

How did you feel before asking?
I was really excited because I wanted to see his reaction.

How did you feel afterwards?
Afterwards, I was really happy because not only did he say yes, but he thought the pun was hilarious.

How did he react?
He was kind of embarrassed because everyone was watching, but he liked it otherwise.

What do you think is the most important thing in asking someone to KOH?
Honestly, the way you ask doesn’t have to be super over the top or completely eccentric. I really think the most important thing to asking someone to KOH is the sentiment and the genuine act of asking.

Ale Calvo, 9

Pathfinder: Who did you ask?
Calvo: His name is Josh Gansen, and he’s a freshman.

How did you ask?
Over the summer he and I went to Six Flags together, and we went into the Justice League ride, the one with all the superheroes. I came up with the plan to be Superman and Supergirl for Halloween because I thought it would be fun. So we were, and everyone ended up liking our costumes so much I just had to come up with something of the same theme to ask him. That’s why it has all the pictures of us in the costumes [on the poster] and why everything is Superman-themed.

How did you feel before asking?
I did it with a friend so I wasn’t as nervous, we were more excited.

How did you feel afterwards?
It was great. He loved it, and it was super exciting because it took a while to make the poster, but it was worth it.

How did he react?
He was surprised, but I could tell he really loved it.

What do you think is the most important thing in asking someone to KOH?
You have to make sure you’re asking someone you’re comfortable with. If you’re asking someone only to have a date, it takes all the fun out of it. It’s totally okay to just go with your friends.

McKenna Bendle, 10

Pathfinder: Who did you ask?
Bendle: Chris Atkinson, and he’s a sophomore.

How did you ask?
We both love “The Office,” so I thought maybe that’d be a good way to go. One of his favorite characters is Dwight, so I knew I wanted to incorporate him somehow. I eventually came to the decision of “nothing would BEET going with you to KOH,” but I didn’t really anticipate that I was dressing up as [Dwight] until my mom mentioned it as a joke, which completely convinced me. When I asked [sophomore] Lydia Roseman if she thought it was a good idea (for the sign and dressing up), she loved it and said she had a shirt I could borrow. I borrowed pants from [SLUH sophomore] Blake Obert, bought a cheap wig from Amazon and wore Lydia’s shirt. The wig was super long when I first got it and didn’t have a middle part, so I asked Lydia if she’d help me get ready. I [went] over [to her house] and then sat in her bathtub while she chopped off a lot of the hair to make it look like Dwight. She drove me to his house, and I texted him and told him to come to the front door. When he opened the door, he didn’t even recognize me.”

How did you feel before asking?
I was so excited. I wasn’t even nervous or worried or anything. I knew he’d love it.

How did you feel afterwards?
Really cold, but I also felt good. I was happy I got to see him, and happy that he loved it.

How did he react?
He didn’t even recognize me; he wasn’t wearing his contacts. But he thought I chopped all my hair off, and it took him a second to even see who I was because he couldn’t see my face.

What do you think is the most important thing in asking someone to KOH?
Definitely would be confidence and to just present yourself as excited and happy to them. It’ll make both of you so much more ecstatic for KOH.

Natalie Hitchcock, 10

Pathfinder: Who did you ask?
Hitchcock: I asked Bailey Silva, and he is a junior.

How did you ask?
I first looked up some ideas on Google because Google has all the answers. Once I found an idea, I told my mom about it and she went out to buy supplies. Later that night, I made the poster and drove to his house and asked him if he’d be my KOH date! [My pun] was one of the cuter puns I found online. I thought it’d be a good idea because I knew he’d appreciate it and not think it’s too over the top.

How did you feel before asking?
I felt calm because I knew he would say yes and I was excited because I know that we will have fun together at the dance.

How did you feel afterwards?
I felt happy to be going with him because he makes me happy! I knew that KOH was going to be a good experience.

How did he react?
I think he was a little surprised because he did not think I was asking him that night, but it was a pleasant surprise. I think he’s just as excited as I am!

What do you think is the most important thing in asking someone to KOH?
I think the most important thing is just to ask someone you have fun with and that you enjoy spending time around because then your KOH experience will be enjoyable, and you’ll just have fun overall.

Caroline Judd, 10

Pathfinder: Who did you ask?
Judd: Sophomore Thomas Degroot, he goes to Marquette.

How did you ask?
I met Thomas through mutual friends, and we instantly clicked. He’s so fun to be around, and I can’t imagine how anyone wouldn’t like him. His birthday was a couple weeks ago, and he was having friends over for dinner and that’s when I asked him. I showed up a few minutes late with a sign that said “I know it’s your birthday, but make my wish come true, KOH?” He answered the door when I knocked, and I was standing there with the sign. His reaction was absolutely priceless.
How did you feel before asking?
I was so happy to be asking him and knew he’d be a fun date, so I wasn’t really nervous, but it was a little weird being the one to ask someone. I’d do it again though. It’s different, but I liked mixing it up.

How did you feel afterwards?
I’m so excited to go with him, and he’s noted how he’s going to, “tear up the dance floor,” with me. It’ll be so much fun. He’s getting a new suit, and we are going to match with our outfits. I couldn’t have asked a better person to be my date!

How did he react?
His reaction was absolutely hilarious and he seemed really excited, so that was encouraging. He’s such an easy person to be around which made it easier to ask him.

What do you think is the most important thing in asking someone to KOH?
Definitely being yourself and doing something original and personal for the date. It’s the best when you can tell someone put time and effort into making a KOH proposal, even if it’s not “perfect.” The work put into it is what makes it special.

Gabby Leon, 11

Pathfinder: Who did you ask?
Leon: I asked junior Ben Lottes.

How did you ask?
For starters, the poster said “You’ve been BAMBOOzled, KOH?” only because he used to really like pandas and I wanted to relate it to that. He was hanging out with me and my cousins around 3 a.m., and his mom texted him to come home, so before he left, I said “I have a question,” and got the poster and asked him. He said yes, and we quickly took photos since he had to leave.

How did you feel before?
I was planning on doing it that day, but I was pretty nervous and considered backing out. But I was with my cousins so they made sure I did ask.

How did you feel afterwards?
Afterwards, I was just relieved that he said yes and that it went well.

How did he react?
I don’t think he was expecting it, so he was caught off guard.

What do you think is the most important thing in asking someone to KOH?
I think the most important thing in asking someone to KOH is just making sure you’re certain you want to because it requires a lot of confidence! Just make sure you got a good poster, and puns are always funny.

Tess Allgeyer, 11

Pathfinder: Who did you ask?
Allgeyer: I asked Jonny Yazdi, and he’s a sophomore.

How did you ask?
I went to his house and I had a poster that said, “Out of all the fish in the sea, you’re a real catch… KOH with me?” Then I gave him a pack of Swedish Fish to go along with it, and he said yes. I chose that [pun] because he really likes fishing; it’s one of his favorite things to do. He loves talking about it as well, so I thought it was fitting.

How did you feel before asking?
I didn’t feel that weird. I wasn’t afraid he was going to say no, but the anticipation can always be a little awkward. But it was fun because I was excited to ask him.

How did you feel afterwards?
I felt great because I was thinking about how fun the dance is gonna be with him.

How did he react?
He said he really liked the poster. He wasn’t really surprised because I think he knew [the proposal] was happening, but he still smiled and checked out the artwork that I had on the poster.

What do you think is the most important thing in asking someone to KOH?
I think the most important thing is to just be confident in asking. I’ve talked to a lot of people, and they said they were nervous about asking and getting rejected. I’ve seen few cases where someone says no to a proposal, so just asking and having fun with it is the best way to go.

Madie Grove, 12

Pathfinder: Who did you ask?
Grove: I asked Joe Breidecker; he’s a junior.

How did you ask?
It was just my 18th birthday on Friday, so I made a poster that says “make my birthday wish come true & be my date to KOH.” I gave him a Nothing Bundt Cakes jumbo red velvet cupcake with it.

How did you feel before asking?
I wasn’t nervous because he’s my boyfriend, and I knew he would love it! Even though it was a given we were going together, I still wanted to make asking him special because he did the same thing for me when he asked me to [Homecoming].

How did you feel afterwards?
Really happy! Joe was so excited and surprised, so to see his reaction made me feel happy.

How did he react?
He says he was really taken aback and surprised. He says it made his day and made him so happy.

What do you think is the most important thing in asking someone to KOH?
To put thought into asking in a special way that is specific to either you or the person you’re asking so that [the proposal] is all about you two.