Meet Heritage’s 2024 Emperor of the Taj Candidates

Hurricane Helene may have pushed Homecoming back, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn about our amazing Emperor of the Taj candidates

Yarili Delgado, Kaya Bradford, Landon Crews, Brooke Kelly, Natalyn McCormack, November Lansden, and Spencer Cordle • September 30, 2024

Riley Case

Emperor of the Taj is a fun event every year, with exciting foods, games, and school spirit. Meet senior Riley Case, future Emperor of the Taj. Case is a very bright student who hopes to go to college for biotech or some form of life science engineering. He enjoys being in the Heritage band. Outside of school, he also incorporates music into his life through musical production. He enjoys playing video games with friends.

Riley is sponsored by Mrs. Tara Tollett; you can find him in her room in the morning and at lunch. This past week, he’s been selling quesadillas, grilled cheeses, and pancakes. He also may be found walking around with his cart which features donuts, multiple different types of stickers, freeze dried candy, energy drinks, brownies, cookies, clown noses, and more. He will also be doing face painting this week in Mrs. Tollett’s room.

Riley says he doesn’t necessarily have a goal of the money he wants to make, and he just wants to raise as much as he can for his campaign. With the amount of people enjoying his products, it doesn’t seem as if Case has anything to worry about. (Kaya Bradford)

Micah Berry

Micah Berry is a student at Heritage High School, a player on our soccer team, part of the 2025 senior class, and a candidate in the run for Emperor of the Taj.

Throughout the week leading up to Homecoming, Berry has been selling various foods and treats to the student population. Brownies, milkshakes, and food from local food trucks will be available to all students because, according to Berry, “an Emperor feeds his people.”

Berry and his sponsor, Dr. Kendal Shipley, are aiming to “get that money” for the Emperor race, which will go towards the Catoosa County Children’s Fund. They believe that he is the only candidate who truly cares, claiming that fellow candidate, Noah Pierce, “cares more about himself than the kids.”

Outside of his run for Emperor, Berry is a dedicated member of the soccer and cross-country teams and has goals of becoming a civil engineer. He has been described by his sponsor as “the kind of student you want here at Heritage.” Dr. Shipley also says that Berry is a friendly, laid-back, and charismatic young man who he was honored to sponsor. (Spencer Cordle)

Anderson Sasada

At Heritage High School, we have a group of dedicated peers who have the best school spirit, are involved in school activities, and represent Heritage well. One of these students is Homecoming Candidate Anderson Sasada, who is filled with excitement preparing for its annual Homecoming festivities. He is known for his exceptional leadership and dedication to the school.

As a student who is involved in Band and Color Guard, Sasada has spearheaded multiple community service projects, promoting a spirit of unity among students. Sasada said, “This year I’m selling a lot of things over the week. Like today I’m doing Taco Tuesday and I think we’re having El Cactus here, and then we have Mexican street corn.” He also mentions selling waffles on Wednesday, teriyaki on Thursday, and pizza on Friday. He has also prepared a morning cart with energy drinks, donuts, and pastries. Because of this, his peers admire his ability to listen and advocate for their needs. Sasada has spread his social media and promoted his Instagram page called @Sasadasyndicate. By following this page, you will see promotion of sales and information on what the morning carts are bringing out on specific days.

Hoping to make a connection with his peers, he said, “Well, I’d like to say that I’m the candidate for the people.” His impressive resume includes organizing charity events, mentoring his fellow younger students, and showcasing his belief in giving back to the community.

As he was preparing for the results to be announced, Sasada was focused not only on winning, but also on fostering a sense of community among his classmates. Sasada said, “I enjoy making connections. I enjoy talking to people.” He claims he intends to make a difference in this year’s fundraiser by doing daily food days, and has been helping to boost recycling within Heritage. Anderson Sasada aims to raise $3000 this week. He aspires to attend a four-year university in earth and space sciences, and he is poised to make this year’s Homecoming a memorable one that people won’t ever forget. (Yarili Delgado)

Noah Pierce

Senior Noah Pierce is a 17-year-old Heritage High School football player who is also a candidate for the Emperor of the Taj. The Candidates are trying to raise money for the Catoosa County Children’s Fund. Noah is selling tons of candy, brownies, and also cotton candy. Pierce is receiving help from his church to raise money. He is also receiving help from the Homecoming Queen candidates to raise the most money.

Pierce said that his mom inspires him to keep pushing every day. He wants Lexi Berry to win Homecoming Queen, because he thinks that she is a good person, and deserves to win. Pierce is one of the strongest kids that go to Heritage. He loves to workout and go to the gym. Noah is trying to raise more money than all the other Homecoming Emperor Candidates. Pierce is also very excited to go to Homecoming with his girlfriend, Lauren Yarborough, so he can dance and have a great time with her. He is also cooperating with his church and businesses to earn the most money to win the Emperor of the Taj. Pierce is very grateful to be a candidate in this race, and is overall glad he can be a part of the race that goes towards a good cause. (Landon Crews)

Jake Parker

The Emperor of The Taj ceremony is coming up quickly and our Heritage High School seniors are quickly preparing items to earn their peers’ votes (or rather, their money). One of these seniors in particular though, Jake Parker, is going all out. On Monday and Friday, he’s selling candy. On Tuesday, he’s doing a “quesadilla thing” with Mrs. Susie Taylor. On Wednesday, he’s doing a food truck, and on Thursday, he’s selling baked goods. “You can find me in the main gym area, like the gym lobby, or upstairs in Mrs. Pettey’s room,” Parker said.

Parker, a basketball player for the Heritage team, is an 18-year-old senior. He enjoys hanging out with friends outside of school and practicing basketball. He believes you should vote for him for Emperor of The Taj because he’s “selling the best stuff.” His strategy to raise the most money out of all of the candidates is to talk to businesses and sell an extraordinary amount of things by the end of the week. His goal is $500-$700, and all profits made go to the Catoosa County’s Children’s Fund. With other teachers’ help, as well as his posters posted around the hallways in the school, he’ll be selling goods all week, so make sure to stop by and see what he has to offer! (November Lansden)

Ari Sloan

Ari Sloan is a candidate for Emperor of the Taj this year at Heritage. His unique strategy is to focus on raising money outside of the school building instead of selling goods at school. He believes that he is the one for the position because he has a great tenacity, and he thinks he will do the best out of all of the candidates.

Sloan wants to go into mechanical engineering at Georgia Tech after he graduates from high school. He enjoys building lots of different things outside of school. Although he doesn’t sell anything here at school, he raises funds by working with local businesses to get donations outside of school. With the current amount of income that he’s making, he expects to make about $1,000 by the end of this week towards the children’s fund.

One of the events he attended to raise money was the McAlister’s spirit night, which was very helpful for his campaign. Sloan’s sponsor, Dr. Kavin Trobaugh said, “He should be selected for the Emperor of the Taj because he’s a great representation of what we want our Emperor candidates to be like. We want them to think of their communities and not just be in it for themselves.” Ari Sloan is a very good choice for Emperor of the Taj because he is a down-to-earth person who has been working very hard on his campaign, so donate to him to make sure he wins! (Natalyn McCormack)

Maddox Henry

Maddox Henry is a 17-year-old senior at Heritage High School. Henry’s favorite thing to do at school and after school is to play basketball, baseball, and go out to eat with his friends. Since he is graduating this year, he is excited to move toward his career path to be an electrician after trade school.

Henry is one of the people running for Emperor of the Taj this week for Homecoming. Henry is excited to see how much he can raise this week, but his goal is to raise $3,000! He says the reason he is so eager to make as much money as possible is because he is passionate about the Catoosa County Children’s Fund.

He is selling all kinds of things all throughout the school day: things such as Ring Pops, chocolate, sour candy, Poptarts, and Little Debbies. You can find Henry in various places around the school.

Henry’s strategy for this week is a secret, and you’ll have to find out after he wins, but he believes that this week he is going to spread kindness. Henry doesn’t want to make it too competitive and wants to focus on raising as much money for the fundraiser as he can. He is inspired by Heritage alumni Max Owens, one of his best friends who ran last year. For the Homecoming Queen he is rooting for his girlfriend, Jenna Ryans! (Brooke Kelly)

About the Contributors

Yarili Delgado, Staff Writer

Yarili Delgado is a 15-year-old sophomore who attends Heritage High School. She is still looking for clubs that interest her and is looking forward to her first semester in Journalism. In her free time she enjoys spending time with friends outside of school. Although she enjoys writing and reading, she dreams of working in the medical field, more specifically, a labor and delivery travel nurse. Yarili used to play soccer for the Braves in middle school. She also likes finding new and underrated artists such as J.I.D, Aaron May, Smino, Zach Bryan, Olivia Rodrigo, and many others. Yarili can also draw and paint anything that interests her. Although she is nervous for this new journey in her life, Yarili is excited to make new memories and friendships she will create during this time, and to help people who may come across her path.

Kaya Bradford, Staff Writer

Kaya Bradford is a sophomore attending Heritage High School. This is her second year of Journalism. It has always been her favorite class to attend. Something that is very important to Kaya is her job, on a farm, where she works with horses, chickens, pigs, and goats. In Kaya’s spare time, she enjoys listening to (a LOT) of music, including Deftones, Modern Baseball, The Front Bottoms, McCafferty, Radiohead, Baby Keem, She Wants Revenge, Kendrick Lamar, and many other artists from varying genres. She also enjoys reading, writing, drawing, and other various creative outlets. Kaya also loves spending time with animals, including her cat Clancy, who was originally a stray but is now a housecat. One thing Kaya wants to do one day is attend a Radiohead concert. She also enjoys quite a few movies and shows, including "New Girl," "Criminal Minds," "Heathers," and all of the "Harry Potter" movies, although she says "Goblet Of Fire" is the best one. Kaya’s favorite books include "Lord Of The Flies," “P.S I Still Love You,” "One Of Us Is Lying," "Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire," and "IT." Kaya also enjoys comedians and Youtubers Kurtis Conner, Danny Gonzalez, and the Sturniolo Triplets. Kaya claims Matt Sturniolo is “the love of her life.” Most of all, Kaya enjoys spending time with her friends, animals, and family.

Landon Crews, Staff Writer

Landon Crews is a 15-year-old who goes to Heritage High School, and is a part of the Heritage High School Wrestling team. When Landon is not at wrestling practice he is at home playing video games or playing basketball outside. He enjoys weightlifting, and is very strong for his size. Landon also loves shoes and clothes. Landon also likes going swimming at the Ringgold City Pool during the summer with his friends. While he is there he likes playing basketball and volleyball with his friends. Landon loves going to church and praising God. He is very good at math and social studies. Landon was originally born in Macon, Georgia, and often goes there to see his favorite people, his grandma and grandpa. Landon has 3 siblings who go to Heritage High School. His all time favorite food is steak because it has a lot of protein and it's very good. Landon’s bestfriend is Jonah Meadows who also goes to Heritage High School and they like to hang out a lot over the summer and the school year.

Brooke Kelly, Staff Writer

Brooke Kelly is a 16-year-old student at Heritage High School. She is a junior who likes taking law and writing classes. Her favorite things to do at school is participate in the labs for Mr. Edwards, the law and public safety teacher, and her ELA class. Brooke enjoys reading, running and working out. Her favorite books are "They Both Die at the End," “Hunger Games Series," "Maze Runner" and "Girl in Pieces." She has six animals, 2 dogs, Shadow and Luke, and four cats, Mia, Will, Tiger, and Nyla, that she loves very much. Brooke is in SGA this year and is excited to plan activities for the school year. She is also taking dual enrollment and honors classes. She loves challenging herself for school and takes pride in her good grades. Brooke is excited to see what junior year will bring her and what the Journalism class is going to be doing this year.

Natalyn McCormack, Staff Writer

Natalyn McCormack is a 10th grade student at HHS. This is her second semester in Journalism, and she is very eager to be a part of the staff. In her free time, Natalyn loves to listen to music, spend time with her best friends, and make crafts out of random stuff around her home. She has one older brother, two dogs, and one cat. Her phone is full of pictures and videos of her favorite dog, Jet. Natalyn has many interests and hobbies including drawing, growing plants, and decorating cakes. When she isn’t doing one of those things, she’s most likely on the phone with her friends. Natalyn is interested in having a job related to plants when she grows up, preferably gardening. So, she is taking an agriculture class this semester and plans to continue taking classes on that pathway. After high school, she plans to attend UTC. Right now, her grades are her top priority, and she always tries to put her best effort into all of her classes.

November Lansden, Staff Writer

November Lansden is a 14-year-old freshman at Heritage High School. She is particularly excited about working for the Journalism program as a whole. She has a fond love for animals and wants to be a Zoologist when she gets older. Normally, you can catch her reading a book about history or a Stephen King novel, but sometimes she dwindles in a bit of romance/sci-fi. Her favorite music artists at the time of writing this are Deftones, Tyler the Creator, and Radiohead, but she also likes to listen to Broadway soundtracks from her favorite musicals. Her favorite things to do are read, write, and help anyone in need whenever she can, whether it be sitting with them at lunch or giving them a piece of paper. She has two pet cats and two pet dogs, which she got to name herself. Her two cats are named Gizmo and Limp Bizkit, and her two dogs are named August and Little. In her spare time, she likes catching up with her assignments and playing many popular video games like Animal Crossing and Tomodachi Life. She enjoys attending after school events like football games and track meets, and she will stop at nothing to support her school and help them achieve their goals, both financially and in sports. She is excited to join the Journalism team as a freshman, and can’t wait to see what her first year at Heritage High School will be like.

Spencer Cordle, Staff Writer

Spencer Cordle is a returning Journalism staff member and a sophomore at Heritage High School. He is excited to enter the new year and see what this school year has to offer. Journalism is one of his favorite classes and led to the discovery of new passions such as photography and journalistic honesty. When he isn’t at school or in his room, he usually spends quality time with his loved ones and friends, whether at one of their houses or somewhere out in town. Outside of his work in Journalism, he is also interested in various forms of art, like painting and photography, as well as music, cooking, true crime, and reading. Spencer enjoys bands and artists from all genres, but some of the highlights include Radiohead, She Wants Revenge, The Cure, The Smiths, and Mitski. He also enjoys watching commentary videos from creators such as Film Cooper, Kurtis Conner, and Danny Gonzalez. Spencer aspires to be either a graphic designer, or a photographer, and is optimistic that his time at HHS will help him shape his future.