Indiana high school crowns autistic students homecoming king and queen

At Tri-West High School in Lizton, Indiana, homecoming is celebrated twice a year.

While the fall event revolves around football, the indoor event every February celebrates the school's basketball team — and singles out another homecoming court, as voted on by the student body.

This year, life-skills teacher Camille Dorrell was thrilled to count the students' votes for Basketball Homecoming Court: the students had voted for Seth Knox and Kelsey Roeser, two of their classmates with severe autism.

"I was like 'Oh my gosh,'" Dorrell recalled counting the ballots. "This is going to happen."

Seth and Kelsey, known for cheering up students by singing songs and offering hugs, respectively, weren't just chosen to be two of the 16 students on the homecoming court.

During the halftime show of the homecoming basketball game on February 7, they were named homecoming king and queen — with the support of the entire school behind them.

They were the overwhelming favourites.

"Everybody loves him," Seth's mom said after the ceremony.

Watch their story here.

"For this group of kids to accept these special needs kids, and to make them their homecoming king and queen…you can't put that into words, what that means as a parent," Kelsey's mom told FOX59.