Homecoming is an annual event where the school comes together to celebrate traditions such as mums, parades, dances and a football game. It fosters school spirit within the students and community. Here’s a recap of everything that happened.
Mums
Homecoming traditions have been around for over 100 years. One of them are mums, which are decorative flowers students wear to show school spirit and individuality. Last week, in advanced floral design, junior Tess Benkendorfer helped make mums for different programs.
“We made mums for the ICAP and ESL [students],” Benkendorfer said. “I felt accomplished [that] I could help someone out with my day instead of just doing it for myself.”
Floral design teacher Anna Hatcher got the idea from an Agriculture conference from other schools. This is Hatcher’s first year doing this project and wants to continue it as an annual event. Six floral design students made 68 mums during homecoming week in total.
Theme days
Every homecoming week has theme days to get students excited for homecoming. On Monday the theme was “rhyme without reason.” Students dressed up as items that rhyme such as banana and Hannah Montana, clown and crown and wig and pig. On Tuesday the theme was “dress as your teacher day.” Students and teachers got together to swap outfits and dress as each other for the day. On Wednesday, the theme was camo and Thursday, the theme was bikers vs. surfers.
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Annebelle Smiley and theater teacher Cheryl Painter prompting fall show “ Puffs” on a homecoming float. Photo by Katie Mathews
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Students dancing and posing at the homecoming dance. Photo by Katie Mathews
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Seniors Ethan Wallace and Charlotte Polnaszek present themselves after winning homecoming queen and king. Photo by Landry Williams
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Band performs “ The Liminal Space” at the homecoming game. Photo by Landry Williams
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Seniors showing off their homemade overalls with mums. Photo by photojournalism.
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Students wearing their mums floral design helped with. Photo by photojournalism.
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Royals perform at the homecoming parade. Photo by Katie Mathews
Senior Overalls and Jeans
On Friday, the seniors wore their painted overalls and jeans. Students painted their name, graduating year and decorated with flowers, designs or hobbies. Underclassmen wore maroon, black and gold to show school spirit along with their mums.
Homecoming Parade
The homecoming parade features extra-curricular programs that come together to make floats and showcase them in the parade.
The parade started with JROTC marching, followed by the student-made floats. The homecoming court sits in cars to promote themselves and get students to vote for them. Students riding floats threw out candy to the children. To promote the fall show “Puffs”, theater did a Harry Potter themed float. Track did a beach themed float by dressing up in Hawaiian shirts and wearing leis.
After the parade ended, students and staff went onto the football field to watch performances from band, dance, colorguard and cheer. The band performed the song “ Lets Groove” by Earth, Wind and Fire, while the color guard performed with them. Royals performed their contest hip-hop routine “Independent.”
Homecoming Court
Following after the field performances, the homecoming court winners for freshman, sophomores and juniors were announced.
Freshman: Colton Robinson and Aasiyah Smith.
Sophomore: Max Abernathy and Hannah Lee.
Junior: Nevo Assouline and Julie Tuskin.
Homecoming Game
The homecoming game was at Gupton stadium on Friday against Cedar Park High School. Rouse was defeated 35-48. At the end of the game, band played their show “The Liminal Space” for the first time this year. Varsity football player Ethan Wallace and president of the Thespian Society Charlotte Polnaszek, were announced as the senior homecoming king and queen.
Homecoming Dance
The homecoming dance was on Saturday, held in the school cafeteria. Around 500 students attended the dance, the most that have ever attended. The theme was disco, inspiring students to wear shimmering dresses and 70’s clothes.
Recap
With theme days, dances and a packed stadium on game night, homecoming week brought students together in celebration, school spirit and unity.