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Subscribe to RSSWhitney Kropp, the teen who was elected to the court as a hurtful prank by classmates, attended the homecoming dance in West Branch, Michigan, wearing a donated dress as her entire town rallied around her. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.
In a red, ruffled dress and flowers in her hair, Whitney Kropp, the Michigan high school student picked by her classmates to be on her school’s homecoming court as a prank, took to her school’s football stadium Friday for the ceremony.
“I had thoughts about not coming, but you know what, I’m glad I changed my mind and actually came out,” Kropp told NBC News.
Kropp's appearance was met with thunderous applause and camera flashes from her fellow students at Ogemaw Heights High School in West Branch, Mich., and even members of the opposing team.
John M. Galloway / AP
Whitney Kropp, third from left, waits for the ceremony to begin at Ogemaw Heights High School's homecoming football game on Friday.
At Kropp’s side was Josh Awrey, the class of 2015’s male representative, the Bay City Times reported.
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After the ceremony, Kropp, who said she had been bullied throughout her time in high school, told reporters that she was glad she decided to remain on the court.
“I’m overwhelmed," Kropp said. "I’m so happy – this is so much right now for me. The school is fantastic they treated me so well."
'Easy target'
Kropp said last month she was initially surprised to learn that her classmates nominated her to be in the running for her school’s homecoming queen. But she said she soon felt humiliated and betrayed when she found out that it was all a joke.
John M. Galloway / AP
Sophomore homecoming representatives Whitney Kropp and Josh Awrey give each other a hug during the homecoming ceremony on the Ogemaw Heights High School football field on Friday.
“People had bullied on me, I guess, for my looks, how I did my hair, how I dress, my height, so I guess they thought, you know, maybe someone that is different is someone that’s an easy target,” Kropp said.
But, Kropp said she pulled through with the support of her mother and the rest of the town.
"You want to protect your kid, and you feel angry and mad at what has happened, but at the same time the outpouring to help her has been beyond expected," Kropp's mother Bernice Kropp said.
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Word spread quickly through the community of about 2,100 residents in West Branch. Resident Jamie Kline started a Facebook support page, gaining more than 4,000 likes in Michigan and nationwide. Personal stories of bullying and messages of encouragement filled the page.
A salon owner in West Branch donated service to cut, color and style Kropp's hair, and other local businesses paid for her dinner, gown, shoes and tiara for the dance.
Sophomore student Whitney Kropp never saw herself as part of the "in" crowd at her high school, so she was surprised to find out she was voted to homecoming court. It turned out to be a prank, but now the community is rallying behind Whitney to show their support for her. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.
Before the game, a local company even made T-shirts in support of Kropp in her favorite color, orange, adding to the messages of encouragement that Kropp says helped her prevail.
John M. Galloway / AP
Kristy Erway, Hannah Gebnard, and Paige Sharp of Cadillac High School hang a banner in support of Whitney Kropps in West Branch, Mich., on Friday.
“The kids that are bullying you do not let them bring you down," she said. "Stand up for what you believe in, and go with your heart and go with your gut. That’s what I did and look at me now. I’m just as happy as can be.”
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I have nothing but admiration for this girl but I think they should have the pictures of the bullies right along side her. Where is the justice? They get away scott free?
No, I doubt they get away free. Trust me if they have any heart at all this will bother them for the rest of their lives.
Congratulations, Whitney ! Good for you ! Probably the only really disturbing part of this story is that those who "nominated" her "as a joke" no doubt still think that they won. That photo of her getting a big hug from Josh is proof positive just how wrong they were !!
I'd like to add: I never really liked high school. I didn't know that UNTIL I went to college. Wow. All these new kids from everywhere. All the retraints and caste system (jocks, pretty kids, nerds, outscasts, smart kids) was out the window. All new set of rules. Start from square one. No one tagged. I loved it and I haven't looked back. When I do look back, I see the upper level kids never really went anywhere or did anything special. As far as I am concerned, they had THEIR BIG DAY in high school, kind of like the BIG FISH IN A SMALL POND. What I like about this girl is she doesn't live on vengeance or hate. Neither did I. I just moved forward to the next level, the next challenge. As these changed, the ones in high school didn't even come into play, and as I said in my first blog, when I have taken the time to reflect, most of the pretty kids, the smart kids, the jocks, the popular kids, aren't even close. I got my health, I've got an education and a good career, I've got a great support sysem in familit and friends, and I have a great passion in dance. I live everyday like it's the last. Those kids back in high school already had their glory days. That's pretty much all most of them ever had.
Very well put! That is awesome for you.
Thank you. I forgot to add this girl is pretty and poised. I hope she takes all of what she has and moves forward. If she does, she has an entire lifetime of good things ahead, all of which will make high school seem like a drop in the bucket.
I am really happy for this young lady! I hope she will never let anyone make her feel below anyone else. As for the people who bullied her they should feel ashamed of themselves and they need to ask for forgiveness from her and from God. It all starts in the home, parents need to teach their children how to behave and how to treat others. I teach my children to always respect others, do not judge by how they look, what clothes they wear, color of their skin or how much money they have. They don't have to be best buddies with everyone but they need to be nice and respect them. Best of luck to this girl.
From the time I was 12 until I graduated, I was a "welfare child". Back then bullying was not a major problem. I had friends that I hung out with from school and church. HOwever, in this day and age with all of the bullying going on, I wonder if things would have been different. I wonder if I, too, would have been on the receiving endof bullying.
What a beautiful women with such grace - you Go Girl!!
If that's not a John Hughes movie in the flesh! Good for her, and shame on those bullies.
I was bullied relentlessly for being biracial, until I finally got tired of the crap and whipped some ass! Never had a problem after that.
good for you rascal. Sometimes you just gotta confront the bullies and injustice and it usually runs for the gutter like the warm piss that it is. Glad it worked out for you.
practice girl so you dont explode in 20 seconds when u get a real one
I am so proud of Whitney for going to home comming and showing those who pulled the prank that she had the inner strength and inner beauty to still go. When I saw that Whitney was going I was so proud of her.. And when I heard her speech it truly touched my heart.. If I could have I would have been honored to shake Whitney's hand and congratulate her for her bravery and courage.
Now for those who pulled this horrible prank on Whitney I have this to say. You kids better be thankful Im not the principal at your school because I would punish you punks so severly you would never ever forget it. So you better think of being punished next time you want to do something stupid like this. Because if it was up to me the punishments would be as follows:
Grades 9 - 11
For Seniors
What? Why not add a thousand years encased in Carbonite? Let the punishment fit the crime...
As usual, I am confused.
This is the eighth article I have read about this and have never read about what the bullies/pranksters did/said to her. The only action ever mentioned was that they nominated her to the homecoming "court".
Can anyone link me to an article that elaborates on the mean behavior?
She is already a supermodel a perfect role model as to how to think and act like a adult as these ages and she is pretty! I have kids !
The sad truth is that she will still be teased after this settles down. My highschool peers did that kind of thing to the "weird" kids all the time. She will be teased no matter how she handled it or how it ends up. That is the unfortunate truth.
She may not care anymore if people tease her. Not everyone's self esteem is riding on what a silly high school girl clique thinks about them. Girl cliques like to think that everyone else wants to join them....its not always true. Sorry. Your high school peers sound like losers.
So...is the whole town ashamed of being known around the world as bullies of a high school girl?
The whole town should bow its head in shame.
The water tower should be repainted to show a frown.
Shame, shame, shame
So...is the whole town ashamed of being known around the world as bullies of a high school girl?
The whole town should bow its head in shame.
The water tower should be repainted to show a frown.
Shame, shame, shame
Pretty girl - cute figure. She's one of the lucky ones. Not that bullied unattractive and chunky girls deserve bullying! Usually they are the ones rejected, though. Whitney looks like Cynthia Nixon from Sex & the City. Very attractive girl - and brave, too.
They did this same thing to some girls in my high school (class of 1983). Nobody did anything about it except tease her, snicker and point. Although she didn't WIN the nomination, she was still the the talk of the Senior class. Unfortunately her parents were from Greece and couldn't understand the language, let alone was exactly was going on. I sure hope she;s ok today. At least these morons at Whittneys school have been put to shame and learned a valuable life lesson. They might not always looks so good one day; they should not have to wait unti then to learn humility, and how to look for the good in everyone. What did their parenst teach them anyway? I would have been mortified had I found that any of my 3 pretty (by the grace of God only) girls treated anyone that way.
Good for you Whitney ! You looked Beautiful : )
Welcome to the White Trash Hotel, where you can always stay but never leave.
And they call this part of the country, the Heartland??
The Klan behaving badly, Hey this Girl looks like Carol Burnett.
Anyone remember the movie "Carrie", plot seems the same in the 21st century.
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Like our late singer Whitney Houston said the Children is our future:
I believe the children are our are future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be
Everybody searching for a hero
People need someone to look up to
I never found anyone who fulfill my needs
A lonely place to be
So I learned to depend on me
I am so glad she prevailed, because children and teenagers can be so damn cruel. But I expect more from high school teenagers.
I have always looked at BULLIES as someone so discontent with their on lives the only way to feel to better is to try to upstage another person. She made a beautiful queen and I hope the people who picked on her realized she got the last laugh and word in. Way to go!
Absolutely Judy.
Cinderella stories can happen and it seems this time to a fitting princess! I'm still trying to understand how they could have been bullying her over her looks? They must really think they have something going on.... Hopefully this will be a lesson to a few of her classmates on the concept of The Golden Rule... I'm sure they've heard of that.
you are a very brave young woman. this is an experience you will carry with you for the rest of your life. don't ever give up or give in.
a very brave and a very pretty young lady as well!
And definitely do not allow others to define who you are or feel about self, because in actuality; when individuals define others, they define themselves.
I know these are just kids and part of a teenager's MO is to do stupid things, but I would love for those bullies to be exposed too. They need to learn a lesson beyond their "prank" backfiring. They need to receive some of the same ridicule they were trying to project on someone else.
And where are the parents of these bullies? They need to step up and send a message: "I learned that my kid was one of the bullies and I want to say publicly that we do not condone this activity and we plan to address it with our child." I know that may be happening privately, however, they tried to publicly humiliate this girl. I think the bullies need to be dealt with a little publicly too.
I understand this is a feel good story for the victim, but this also needs to be about the bullies.