September 29, 2012|By Chris Welch, CNN

Whitney Kropp, the teen thrust into the spotlight after her peers nominated her for the school homecoming court as a prank, attended coronation Friday night surrounded by cheering fans.

Donning a red dress, she beamed as she clutched a bouquet of flowers.

"I had thoughts about not coming [still tonight]," the 16-year-old told reporters after halftime of the homecoming game.

"I just thought maybe I won't have fun, but ... I'm having actually a lot of fun right now."

"I'm so happy -- this is so much right now for me," she added.

Speaking to reporters after the halftime ceremonies, Kropp had nothing but praise for her school ? in spite of what a select few students did.

"The school is fantastic. They treated me so well here and I couldn't ask for more."

Her mother, Bernice Kropp, was all smiles.

Prank victim gets the last laugh

"I am so proud right now, wow," she said standing alongside her daughter.

When asked whether she had a message for other kids who deal with bullying, the teen said it's important to "not let them bring you down."

"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!"

Earlier this month, when she realized the whole thing was a prank, Kropp, a sophomore at Ogemaw Heights High School near West Branch, Michigan, said she became suicidal and felt "like trash."

But thanks to a push from her family and friends, she decided to embrace what happened and turn the tables.

"I can just prove all these kids wrong ... I'm not the joke everyone thinks I am," she said Thursday.

The West Branch-Rose City Area Schools superintendent, Dan Cwayna, declined CNN's request for comment.

Opting to stay on the homecoming court was a tough decision, Kropp said. That bold move prompted local businesses to donate her homecoming gown and shoes, and a local hairstylist to give her a new 'do' for the big event.

WNEM: Community steps up for bullied teen

"Every girl looks forward to being on that homecoming court and for her name to be called," said hairstylist Shannon Champagne, who did her hair. "For her to be so excited about that and then just to find out that it was all just a joke, it just ? it really touched me."

A Facebook support page created for her has more than 96,000 "likes."

Sitting on her front porch in rural Michigan, the teen held her head high with what her mom described as a new and overwhelming sense of confidence


http://articles.cnn.com/2012-09-29/us/us...-bold-move

That article is so full of things I don't understand.  "Homecoming"? It's difficult to know what it's all about.  It's some sort of unofficial graduation ceremony?  Or what?  I looked up some of the terms on wiki but they weren't much help.  
Alison

FWIW, "homecoming" refers to one of a school's competitive
athletic teams return from a road trip, that is from playing
its games at its opponent's gym/stadium to hosting them on its
"home ground".  Thus most of the spectators support them
rather than the adversary.
Not a sports fan either,
kullervo

Wiki definition of Homecoming Court

Homecoming Court

The Homecoming Court is a representative group of students that, in a coeducational institution, consists of a King and Queen, and possibly Prince(s) and Princess(es). In a single-sex institution, the Homecoming Court will usually consist of only a King and a Prince (for a male school) or a Queen and a Princesses (for a female school), although some schools may choose to join with single-gender schools of the opposite gender to elect the Homecoming Court jointly.

Generally, the King and Queen are students completing their final years of study at their school (also called seniors), while the Prince and Princess are underclassmen, often with a Prince/Princess for each grade. Recently, some high schools have chosen to add categories, such as Duke and Duchess, to extend the representation of students to include a category in which students with special needs are elected. In high school, 17- or 18-year-old students in their final year are represented by a King or Queen; in college, students who are completing their final year of study, usually between 21 and 23 years old.

Not that it is ever OK to target anyone for bullying, but I don't understand why someone would target her specifically.  It certainly isn't for her looks, she isn't overweight or odd looking as far as I can tell.  That dress looks lovely on her!  Perhaps she's socially awkward or shy.  I can relate to that :-/  

People are horrible   I'm glad she turned it around, and maybe she can do even more.  If she wrote or co-wrote a book, I bet it would do well.  Plus, someone will probably start a scholarship fund for her.

She is tall, has a larger nose, wears her hair in her own way.

Also does not blend in with "the group"

I only went to one Homecoming...... and that was the one my Senior year

High school should be called Conformity School. Glad I don't go.

Oh?

we are all pretty much non-conformist, either in school or not, I would think.

I'm homeschooled.

I see....

no you dont

Its another way of saying "I understand"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyvMbXdxmSg

3:28