Texas Homecoming Queen Gives Bullied Classmate Her Crown—See the Sweet Moment!

Lilly Skinner was saved by her pals after high school students pulled a cruel prank

By Alyssa Toomey Sep 18, 2014 11:47 PMTags
Homecoming QueenNBC

Step aside, Regina George: these two North Texas seniors are here to save the day (and it's safe to say the world needs more kind souls like these lovely ladies). 

After 17-year-old Lilly Skinner, who is described by friends as "just an amazing girl," fell victim to a particularly cruel prank, her two longtime pals, Anahi Alvarez and Naomi Martinez devised a plan to not only put a stop to the harsh hoax, but to also thrust Skinner into the spotlight she deserves. 

So after Skinner was misinformed by a few mean girls that she had been nominated for homecoming queen, Skinner's Grand Prairie High School classmates Alvarez and Martinez, both of whom have been friends with Lilly since 7th grade choir, promised to pass the crown to their pal if either one should win. 

"We promised each other and we were like, 'No matter what, no backing down. If one of us wins, we're giving Lillian the crown,'" Martinez told NBC's Dallas Fort Worth station. 

Grand Prairie High School's principal, Lorimer Arendse, was also informed of the plan just shortly before halftime and was in charge of escorting Lilly on the field, keeping the ploy a secret by having her help take pictures of the homecoming court's procession. 

Then Anahi Alvarez was named homecoming queen and it was time to pass the tiara to Skinner, who was completely in shock at her pal's kindhearted gesture. 

"When she won the queen, I took a picture and she told me to come over. And I said, 'It's OK. It's OK. It's your crown, you know? My name is not on the list,'" Skinner said.

After Alvarez placed the crown on her head, Skinner said she felt like she was living in a fairy tale. "I was like, 'Wow, really? Like, wow! Like, is this a dream or something?'"

"Seeing the look on her face and the way she reacted toward it, it was priceless," Martinez revealed. "I knew it was the right decision."

While the touching moment not only serves as a sweet story, it also provides a positive example for students across the country as schools continue to struggle to put a stop to bullying. 

"In all my time in school, this is probably the greatest moment I've ever experienced as a principal," Arendse, who has five years of previous experience in school administration, said. 

Props to the gorgeous gals for putting their kind foot forward.