By Sue Kiesewetter
Enquirer contributor

MONROE - Lemon-Monroe High School is set to go national today in a live broadcast telling the story of this year's poignant homecoming queen crowning ceremony.

Megan Neu (left) and Cindy Christopher (Enquirer file photo) | ZOOM |

ABC's Good Morning America, which airs locally from 7-9 a.m. on WCPO-TV (Channel 9) and WDTN-TV (Channel 2), plans to shoot on the football field, weather permitting, said Steve Jackson, assistant principal.

The segment will focus on senior Megan Neu, who on Oct. 11 passed her homecoming crown and title to classmate Cindy Christopher, whose mother had died earlier that day after a five-year fight with cancer.

The girls have been best friends since they began cheerleading together in the seventh grade.

"It's a really nice, thoughtful, compelling story we thought our viewers would be interested in,'' said Lisa Finkel,spokeswoman for Good Morning America. "We felt it was just the type of story Good Morning America viewers would want to see.''

Mr. Jackson said both girls' families and local dignitaries have been invited to the school for the show. Teachers will be advised today through an afternoon memo to tune in to the show today beginning at 8 a.m., to watch as classes.

"We're excited. It's started to steamroll. This is a chance to put Monroe on the national map,'' Mr. Jackson said. "We're trying to keep it really low key today. Megan and Cindy are overwhelmed. It's one thing to be interviewed for local newspapers or TV, but going national, well they're nervous.''