Comin' Home

By Lindsay White

Homecoming is an annual occurrence. Students, faculty, alumni and community members look forward to this celebration like it is a holiday. Starting off with spirit week, students and faculty show their school spirit by wearing something wacky, or by dressing in green and white.

At the end of the school day Friday, there is a spirit assembly. This is when the sports teams compete against each other to complete various tasks. The team that wins this event gets the best prize ever: bragging rights. This is also the time when Homecoming Queen and King are crowned. Zoe Jantzen, sophomore, says “I like the pep rally because the school gets pumped for the games the next day.”

Later that day the school starts off the Homecoming parade at the top of Maple Street. There will be four different themes for the four grades, along with floats for Middle School and faculty. Once the parade reaches the high school, floats are taken apart and the bonfire is lit. Sports teams are recognized and sent into the school to eat their spaghetti dinner. Matthew Gleason, junior, says, “I like the floats because I like how every class does a different theme… and I like to decorate the float.”

Saturday is when the games begin. They start as early as 9 a.m. and go until about 3 p.m. Concessions are sold, benefiting the freshman class. When asked about her favorite part of Homecoming, Nikki Cullinan, freshman, says “my favorite are the games on Saturday because I like the energy.” Saturday is ended with the Homecoming dance. This is not a semi-formal event like other high schools, but it still has all the fun!

The students who are responsible for all of the Homecoming activities are members of Student Council. Hannah Steff, junior, says, “It’s a little stressful because it’s our fault if anything goes wrong, and we have to make all the components work starting with spirit week and going all the way to the dance.” Steff also says that people don’t realize how much actually goes into planning Homecoming. The members work together for the assembly, gathering wood for the bonfire, and finding chaperones for the dance.