Balliew, Farmer crowned Saturday

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany High School students selected class members as royalty for the 2022 Winter Formal, including this year’s Mr. and Miss AHS. 

The Winter Formal is organized each year by the AHS student council, and this year’s gala was held last Saturday, Jan. 8 at the Whitney Theatre. 

COVID concerns caused last year’s Winter Formal to be cancelled.

Albany seniors Ana Balliew and Taren Farmer, who were both nominated by the junior class, were crowned Mr. and Miss AHS during a brief ceremony toward the end of Saturday night’s event.

Other senior nominees presented at the Winter Formal included Caitlan Lee and Brooks Neece nominated by the senior class, Avery Kleiner and Luke Ivy nominated by the sophomore class, and Clara Holson and Robert Bailey nominated by the freshmen.

The entire student body then voted to elect Mr. and Miss AHS for 2022.

Other Honorees

One boy and one girl from each of the other high school classes were elected by their peers in class meetings held earlier in the week, with those Prince and Princess honorees also named on Saturday.

Representing the juniors were Gineveve Solders and Jayden Lucas. 

Sophomore princess is Sidney Russell, and Zane Waggoner is the prince. 

Kenzie Neve and Branson Beal were selected by the freshman class. 

Miss AHS

Ana Balliew is the daughter of Candy and Tim Balliew. All of her grandparents, including Debra and Roy Ruff, Susan Balliew, and Dee and Wayne Balliew, are also Albany residents.

She is a member of the National Honor Society, helping with the Toys for Tots campaign, and has also served on the student council as a class representative. 

The four-year honor student was chosen by her classmates as junior homecoming princess.

Balliew has participated in softball throughout her high school years, and learned this week that she has been invited to play on the FCA All-Star North Softball Team in June. She was District MVP Pitcher last season and was also named as Albany’s softball MVP.

In addition to the AHS softball team, she has also played with Fierce Softball’s travel team for four years.

Balliew played basketball her freshman year and volleyball for two years.

A member of First United Methodist Church, she is on the Feed Store’s student council.

Mr. AHS

Taren Farmer is the son of John R. and Angela Farmer.

His grandparents are Arlene Farmer of Albany, Jim Farmer and Paulette Dabney of Albany, and Katherine Casebeer and Dan Arellano of Pueblo, Colorado.

Born and raised in Albany, Taren has played football here since the fifth grade.He has been on the Lions varsity football team for the last two years, earning numerous honors including First Team All-District Defensive End his junior year and First Team All-District Defensive Utility Player this past season.

During his AHS career, he has also participated in golf, baseball, track and 4H/FFA. 

Last Saturday, he was named Mr. AHS at the 2022 Winter Formal.

An “A” honor roll student, Farmer plans to join the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M while studying aerospace engineering.