Inseparable Duo Named Sandburg High School Homecoming King and Queen

ORLAND PARK, IL — Two high school seniors who have shared the purest of friendships since they were toddlers stood before their classmates last week and were crowned Sandburg High School homecoming king and queen. Seniors Selena Schuster and Tim "Timmy" Matykiewicz were chosen as royalty from among 13 other couples, a gesture made more significant to their families, as both are in the school's special education program.

"When I saw 13, I thought, 'it’s a long shot,'" said Amy Matykiewicz, Tim's mom. But that didn't stop her from spreading the word on social media to help get the pair the win. And win, they did.

The two were glowing Friday as they took the field to be adorned with their crowns and sashes. Tim even dealt high-fives to his "fans."

"It’s really fun for them," Matykiewicz said. "It's nice to have them so involved in everything that happens at Sandburg. The school’s always been really good about that, but this is next level."

Timmy's younger brother Austin was the one to crown him, an unforgettable moment for the brothers and their parents.

"My son Austin was able to crown Timmy, and it was super sweet!" Matykiewicz said. "It made me so proud of both my boys! My heart was bursting!"

Selena's mother Jen Schuster was touched by the moment her daughter became queen.

"It made my heart happy to see their big smiles and to know the Sandburg community supported them so much to vote for them," she said.

Timmy and Selena met when they were 3 years old, and have grown up together in the world of special education. Both have cognitive impairments; they have come to love each other as the best of friends. Their families have also become close, watching as the pals navigate challenges and milestones.

"I met an amazing friend through it, and it’s just been a great experience," Matykiewicz said. "We’ve found special ones because of them."

The two have shared so much over the years, also playing together in the Tinley Park Bobcats Challengers baseball team, a "division for young athletes and their families who do not allow developmental disabilities to prevent them from participating in the national pastime."

It's there that their homecoming journey began. Timmy has asked Selena to join him at every homecoming dance — except for 2020's, which was canceled due to COVID-19 — with handmade signs he held up at their baseball games.

For as long as their mothers can remember, they've been inseparable. They've seen each other through every step of high school as students in the school's special education program, Ultima.

"They're just best buddies, best friends," Matykiewicz said. "They gravitate toward each other in a crowd. There’s just always something about Selena and Timmy. They’re always together.

"It’s Selena and Timmy."

The two would inevitably go to their senior homecoming dance together, so why not nominate themselves to become royalty? The mothers helped, sharing the news widely among the program's members, students, and teachers, and on social media. They made shirts for the two, and posters to spread the word. Everyone was vying for Timmy and Selena.

"Our kids become like their kid," Matykiewicz said. "They go to all the same classes, they’re with all the same teachers for the last four years."

The mothers worried about disappointment should they lose, but they enjoyed making their teens feel special.

Before the official announcement came, many called, texted and messaged about the outcome.

"I know that entire special ed program, his teachers, the paraprofessionals — a teacher called me today, ‘did they win? Did they win?’" Matykiewicz said.

Nearly 400 votes had been cast, with their Timmy and Selena coming out on top.

"It says a lot for how they are viewed by the other Sandburg students, outside of the special education program," Schuster said.

Timmy, who sometimes struggles to vocalize what he's thinking or feeling, couldn't get enough of their big moment. He eagerly hopped on the phone to fill in his family.

"Sometimes, he can’t really explain what he wants to say," Matykiewicz said, "but that day he’d pick up the phone and say, 'I’m king!'"

The duo had a perfect senior homecoming dance, with Selena picking out a pink, glittery dress, and Timmy making sure his tie matched. And of course, the finishing touches of sashes, crown, and tiara.

Matykiewicz said she was thrilled they won, but not necessarily surprised by how highly other students think of them.

"I’m not shocked," she said, "I think my kid and Selena are the most amazing people."