Homecoming is an exciting time to show your school spirit, put yourself out there, and spark new romances. It will kick off on Oct. 13, and will include spirit week, the fall rally, the homecoming football game and the homecoming dance.  

Spirit week will include a different theme of dress for students each day of the week; the fall rally and football game will occur on the same day, Oct. 16; the dance is on Oct. 17. All homecoming events will be organized by ASB, and overseen by senior Tyler Ellis.     

Ellis said that he wants to see more student participation in regards to spirit week, and plans to achieve this goal by increasing publicity, so that students have no excuses that they did not know it was spirit day.

“[ASB is] going to definitely try to work more with the student body in regards to what they want in the rallies,” Ellis said.

Students should take to social media and comment on ASB’s Twitter and Instagram to voice their opinions, Ellis said.

“We look at every single [opinion], and we [take] them into account,” Ellis said,“and we love hearing what the student body wants.”

Sophomore Rohan Srivastava noted a possible improvement for future rallies to come, and said one of the only negative parts of the rally was that it took away the extra hour of sleep that students would normally get on a tuesday or friday.

Freshman can only speculate what homecoming is really like, and have to rely on what others tell them. Freshman Shayla Lawler said upperclassmen had told her that people push freshmen out of the way and they get mad at you if you don’t participate, but then they get mad at you if you do participate.    

During ASB’s Friday Fest there was a sign-up sheet for students who wanted to be in the rally, and there will be more sign-up sheets in the future, Ellis said.

“If you want to be a part of the rally, you should be,” Ellis said.  

The homecoming theme is always a defining aspect of the week. Last year, ASB posted a video that revealed the theme; Film Noir. This year’s theme will remain confidential until a week before homecoming.

“Just be expecting something cool,” Ellis said.  

The Homecoming Dance is the final event of ASB’s Homecoming Week.

“The dance was a hit last year so we are working hard to make it just as fun, if not more fun,” said ASB president, senior Maryse Suppiger. “We were really excited by the amount of participation we got last year, so we are trying to continue that.”

Many different facets of homecoming dance have evolved over the years.

“Homecoming used to be a very casual dance that occurred in the gym,” said ASB advisor Mercedes Foster. “Over time, it has gotten a little dressier and it has moved locations to the student center, that is new.”

Homecoming is the only school dance that underclassmen have a chance to partake in, however candidates for Homecoming King, Queen, Prince and Princess will be nominated by upperclassmen.

“People who get enough nominations write an essay, and officially run for homecoming court,” said Suppiger. “At lunch, a week or so later, people will vote on which nominees they want.”  

Both Suppiger and Ellis identified school unity as an overarching goal for this year’s homecoming.

“Dressing up for the rally in all purple, going to the game and wearing all purple and cheering on the team are really good ways people can get involved,” Suppiger said

Ellis said that ASB wants to get the school so pumped that the stands are packed for the football game, and hopes that this energy and momentum can carry over into other school events, starting the school year off on a good note.