Cole Camp teen gets memory of a lifetime

Cole Camp High School has crowned a new homecoming queen.

She’s described as a sassy spitfire by her family and a good friend by her classmates. Like most girls her age, Trisha Goosen likes the color pink and loves musicals. She dresses in stylish jeans and colorful hoodies and wears her brown hair long and straight. Rectangular glasses frame her blue eyes.

Only one thing sets her apart from her peers — Trisha has Down Syndrome.

Trisha, a 19-year-old senior, was nominated by her classmates to represent the senior class at the recent homecoming festivities. Two other nominees representing the volleyball team and cheerleaders vied for the crown as well. Students in grades nine through 12 voted and Trisha was the clear winner.

Senior Mikayla Wilson, 17, said she heavily promoted Trisha as a queen nominee because she considers her a close friend.

“I’ve known Trisha since third grade,” Wilson said, “and I thought she deserved it.”

Wilson said it wasn’t hard to convince her classmates to nominate Trisha.
“We wanted her (Trisha) to have this memory,” Wilson said.

Trisha’s teacher, Lindsey Tinney, said Trisha is well-known and well-liked at the school.

“She has a lot of close friends here,” Tinney said. “They knew this would be something she would always remember.”

Trisha’s mother, Susan Goosen, said she was both pleased and excited to learn of her daughter’s nomination to the homecoming court.

“I was so thrilled she was picked,” she said. “It was really special.”

Susan said she and Trisha traveled to Columbia to try on several formal dresses before deciding on a floor-length blue and black gown, which just happens to be the school’s colors. And she spent an hour having her hair curled before the big night.

“She loves that stuff,” Susan said.

Although Trisha can speak, she prefers to use facial expressions and body language to show her feelings.

“Trisha is an observer,” Tinney said, “but she was smiling the whole time homecoming night.”

Tinney said Trisha displayed a quiet confidence the night of the crowning, which is probably due to her participation in the marching band where she plays various percussion instruments. She has played the cowbell, chimes and triangle.

Trisha’s face lights up with a wide smile when homecoming night is mentioned and it is evident she is both proud and protective of her crown.

“It’s in my room,” Trisha said.

Now that the event has come and gone, Trisha’s friends are glad they could provide their classmate with a lasting memory of her years at Cole Camp High School.

“We cheered like crazy when Trisha won,” Wilson said. “It was the loudest part of the whole game.”