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Prestin Allan, a special needs student, is Hubbard’s Homecoming king
HUBBARD
When Sally Allan told her son, Prestin, 18, that he was nominated for Hubbard Homecoming king, he asked her: “Does this mean people like me?”
She replied that everyone likes him, and his classmates proved it.
Prestin, a special-needs student who has overcome many health challenges, was named this year’s king at the school’s homecoming football game Friday evening, and won by a landslide.
The queen is Ramiah Givens.
As Prestin walked down the hall Friday morning, many students wore “King Prestin” shirts, and stopped to high-five and hug him. He asked them if they voted for him.
The fact that Prestin can even attend school is a miracle. He was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, “water on the brain,” as a toddler. Children Services believed he would be unable to physically function, his mother said.
A few years later, he was diagnosed with autism.
When he came into Richard and Sally Allan’s lives at age 2, the original plan was for the couple to foster him for two weeks.
He was only 17 pounds at that point.
“He couldn’t walk, or talk, or sit up or eat. But when we got him, he started growing and flourishing,” Sally recalled. “His first word, he said to [Richard], was ‘dad.’”
Prestin was scheduled to live in an institution after the foster period, but Richard and Sally couldn’t let that happen.
They adopted him instead, despite being in their 40s and already having three grown daughters.
“We’re so proud of him,” Sally said. “He’s really flourished since coming to high school. He’s friends with everybody.”
Kayla Dickason, intervention specialist, described Prestin as the most positive person in the world.
She said he loves coming to school, and not only succeeds but helps his classmates succeed, too.
His nomination “has brought the school together. I love that they are celebrating differences. It goes to show what kind of students we have in Hubbard, how truly big their hearts are,” Dickason said.
When asked who he wanted his homecoming queen to be, Prestin pointed at Dickason.
Senior student Lukas Mosora said Prestin sits with the football team at lunch, and “no matter what kind of day we’re having, he puts a smile on our faces. He’s the nicest kid,” he said.
Mosora voted for him, of course. “I’m so happy I met him. He is without a doubt the kindest person I have ever met,” he said.
Student Isaac Powell said Prestin has had a big impact on people’s lives.
“I’m so excited for him and his family,” he said.