West Side Story 2.0: Homecoming

Colton Franklin is the son of Melissa and Jace Franklin and brother to Tyler Franklin. He will be escorting homecoming queen nominee Lydia Banse. He was surprised when he found out he was nominated and believes it was because he is very respectful to all of his teachers. His favorite food is steak and potatoes or tacos. His favorite place he's ever been is France, and his favorite movie is Spiderman. Colton plays basketball for the Mankato West Scarlets. His favorite class at West is history because it’s interesting to learn about. After high school, he plans to go to college for exercise science or finance. His best memory from high school was going to sporting events with friends. One thing he will miss from high school is basketball practice with Coach Brunz. Some advice Colton would give to underclassmen is to live in the moment.

Homecoming Queen Candidate Ruby Marble is the daughter of Tony Marble and Kayla Forsythe. She is sister to Luka Marble, Maxine Marble, and Audry Lewis. Ruby was surprised and nervous to be nominated for Homecoming Queen. She believes she was selected by her classmates because of her strong work ethic and determination to succeed, especially in athletics. Ruby is a member of the Mankato West Track and Field Team and has been a state participant and winner multiple times over the past several years, going all the way back to 8th grade. Her favorite memories at West involve being on the Track and Field Team and winning 2nd place as a team in 2025. Her advice to underclassmen is to “focus on your goals and always be yourself!” After high school, Ruby would like to continue her athletic career at a four-year college somewhere warm along the coast and pursue a career in business or real estate.

Mason Schreiber is escorting Homecoming Queen Candidate Ruby Marble. Mason is the son of Chris and Angie Schreiber. Homecoming escorts are nominated by Mankato West High School staff, and Mason felt excited and honored to represent West as an escort. He believes he was chosen because of his hard work to ensure positive relationships with the staff and his hard work in the classroom. At West, he is part of DECA, Link Crew, NHS, and P4T while also playing both baseball and hockey. Mason is also the back-to-back winner of the Mankato West High School Pickleball Championships. After high school, Mason plans to attend a four-year college, studying business law and playing baseball. Mason’s favorite high school memory was breaking the all-time record for single-season shutouts as it was a reflection of the team’s collaborative effort to succeed last year. His advice to underclassmen is to simply get involved because he regrets not joining some of the clubs or activities earlier in his high school career. He really enjoyed being able to work with others within those activities, and it allowed him to gain even more of a support group throughout his high school journey. He will certainly miss his time here at West, but he is excited for the opportunity that the next chapter will give him in his life.

Homecoming Queen Candidate Livi Downs is the daughter of Lesta and Mike Downs. She is escorted by Isaac Ulman. When Livi was nominated, she was beyond humbled to be seen as a candidate by her peers. Livi has participated in many activities for Mankato West, including basketball, soccer, volleyball, DECA, Link Crew, Hope Squad, National Honor Society, Principal Advisory, Project 4 Teens, and even served as a barista at the Scarlet Express. She enjoys traveling to warm places and hanging out with her friends and family. Through her years at West, Livi has decided that her favorite class every year tends to be math. Livi’s best high school memory is scoring 1,000 personal points for the basketball team. After graduation, she will miss many things about high school, but mainly all the people she has met. As she looks back on her years at West, the advice she would give to the underclassman is, “Try everything, get involved, have fun, and be yourself.” After high school, Livi will attend the University of South Dakota to continue to play for the women’s basketball team and study business in hopes of finding a career in that field.

Homecoming Queen Candidate Lexie Kiefer is the daughter of Danielle and Ryan Kiefer, and the sister of Jaycee and Navy. She is escorted by Andrew Luepke. Lexie believes she was nominated for this honor because of the care, respect, laughter, and school spirit she shares with those around her. She was both surprised and deeply honored to learn she had been chosen as a Queen Candidate, and she is grateful for the opportunity to represent her classmates in such a meaningful way. Lexie has been a dedicated member of Yearbook for five years, beginning in 8th grade, and has carried her love for creativity and storytelling throughout high school, which has inspired her to pursue a photography career, where she hopes to continue capturing meaningful moments for others. One of Lexie’s favorite high school memories is her very first day of freshman year. Though she was nervous, the sound of the band playing and the warm welcome from the upperclassmen filled her with pride and excitement. That memory has remained a reminder of the spirit that defines her school. As she looks ahead to graduation, Lexie knows she will especially miss standing on the sidelines, watching the student section roar with energy and enthusiasm. Her advice to underclassmen is to be respectful, make a positive impact, and never hesitate to stand out while pursuing the things you truly love.

Andrew Luepke is escorting Homecoming Queen Candidate Lexie Kiefer. Andrew is the son of Elizabeth and Brian Luepke; he has two older brothers named Jon and Alex. As an escort, Andrew was nominated by the staff of Mankato West High School. Andrew was quite surprised when he learned he was an escort, but he was also very excited. He believes he was nominated by the Staff for displaying great qualities as a leader and a friend, but also his ability to work with others without issues. At West Andrew is part of Theater, P4T, Link Crew, Knowledge Bowl, and the German American Partnership Program (GAPP). His favorite class at West has been English 9 Enriched because he had his close friends in the class but also a fun teacher! This class was also one of his best memories from his time at West. Andrew's plans after high school are to go into Elementary Education at an undecided university. One of the things he'll miss is being able to see his friends at school and in classes. A piece of advice he'd give to underclassmen is to get involved not only in school activities but also to go to events that might be slightly out of their comfort zone.