Hartland High School Senior Now Michigan's Homecoming Queen

Hartland High School senior Raime Lamb was crowned Michigan's homecoming queen Sunday during a pageant in Lansing.

Raime, 18, now will compete July 23-27 against winners of all 50 states for the title of America's Homecoming Queen at Disneyland in California and earn scholarship money. She also won the title of Michigan's favorite homecoming queen by winning an online fundraiser among the 25 finalists where people vote with their donations — the only statewide winner so far to capture both.

"When they told me, I couldn't move. I was in disbelief," Raime said Tuesday. "My mom was hysterical. She lost it. She was crying."

Her mom, Linda Lamb, was soon was texting and calling friends and family with the news.

"It was emotional. I cry easy," she said. "We're very excited."

The win was not a surprise to those who know Raime, who describe her as a hard worker and a free spirit with an affinity for art and humor.

“We weren’t really surprised at all because Raime is just outstanding in everything she does," said Brianna Morse, a Hartland High School senior who is her best friend. "She gets really good grades. … I wasn’t surprised she stood out to the judges.

“She deserves it. She worked really hard.”

Raime, who has been on the varsity pom squad for four years and carries a grade-point-average higher than 4.0, said she was once more outgoing but now describes herself as a more quiet and mature person who can "speak up every once in awhile." She plans to pursue advertising at Michigan State University in the fall. To earn money, she's currently working three jobs — at Clinique, an area park and a clothing store in Howell.

She credits her involvement in Hartland High School's marketing-focused DECA club for giving her the public speaking skills and confidence to excel in the competition. For instance, Raime used her marketing savvy to help pay her initial $400 fee to enter the competition by recruiting sponsors that included family, and .

Jamie Riley, one of her teachers and an adivser for DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America), said she's a perfect fit for the competition. 

“Even though she says she's more reserved, she’s still a go-getter," Riley said. "She’s got a great personality for this.”

A jokester with a big heart

Her personality includes an ability to laugh at herself and what's going on under pressure-packed situations. For instance, when Raime won Hartland’s homecoming crown in September, she dropped it at least three times on the football field.

"Not once or twice … three times," she now recalls with laughter.

The results created a bit of an awkward situation with her winning queen while a good friend’s boyfriend won king. This was while both her friend and boyfriend had been nominated, too.

“I felt really bad. I tried my best to make her feel better — (I told her) you’re his girlfriend and he’s the king so you’re queen. My boyfriend was disappointed, too,” she said.

Raime’s joking attitude was evident Tuesday when she didn’t tell Brianna the reason she was being brought to the office when Hartland Patch came to the high school to conduct interviews for this story.

The humor is an attribute that Brianna says helps Raime manage the stress of a busy schedule.

“Her sense of humor keeps life relaxed and with her three jobs and her excelling in school,” said Brianna, who adds the two like to joke around sometimes making cat noises.

The light mood also was clear when Riley reacted to Raime's appearance in a class Tuesday after her win was included as part of morning announcements to the entire school.

“When I get to my third hour class, he’s like: 'bow to the queen,'" she said.

Raime also kidded she may use humor in a speech about Michigan's she's likely to face having to do in the national competition.

“It’s nice to be in Michigan because we’ve always got a map on hand," she joked while holding her hand as a mitten. “I don’t know where I’d go from there.”

A multimedia artist

There's also a more serious side to Raime that's focused on art, particularly videos that she edits. One she worked on since last summer features footage of her 91-year-old grandmother, Lorraine Raum, in which she shares details of her life during the Depression. (To see the video, click on the attachment).

Raum, who lives with the family, still drives and routinely makes the family dinner. She was at the finals on Sunday.

"I’ve been working really hard on it," Raime said. "People were telling me it made them cry. It was sad they cried, but I was really happy that it got across. … She's such an important person in my life."

Raime's mom said Raum helped watch Raime for the first five years of her life. She also also said Raime's been interested in art for as long as she can remember, recalling how she and her father Raymond would draw together when she was a toddler.

"She always loved to draw," Linda Lamb said.

Raime said she'd prefer to attend the The Art Institute of Michigan in Novi and study film but costs led her to choose MSU.

You can still vote for Raime

The competition should help her out financially, but because the pageant is a nonprofit it doesn't necessarily award large amounts. Last year, for instance, $20,000 was spread among the 50 finalists — which is part of the reason organizers added the online competition.

The voting for the finalists will continue until July, said the pageant's president, Peggy Hester. To vote for Raime, click here. If she wins the whole competition, she'd be the second from Michigan. Calli Long of Lake Orion won the title in 2005.

Hester said the event — now in its 31st year — sends out 18,000 applications a year to all schools with homecoming queens across the country and draws about 1,000 applicants. State finalists are then named who compete at that level.

It isn't a traditional pageant where girls develop rivalries over several years, Hester said. And the focus is on career skills, so instead of swimsuits, the pageant includes an interview, speech and evening gown competition, similar to the state-level contest.

"It's just something completely different," she said. "We're basically preparing them for job interviews and anywhere they communicate with people. … These are your basic girls next door."

The concept attracted Raime and she's looking forward to the next step — something she wasn't expecting.

"My grandma told me before (the weekend) don't be disappointed. It's a great thing you were even able to come here and have this opportunity," she said. "I felt really honored to be able do that and I'm ecstatic that I get to go and represent Michigan."