Sept. 30 – Oct. 4: Spirit Week
The week before Homecoming, Student Council plans different themes for each day of the week in order to get students excited about the dance. This year’s themes are pajama day, prep day, a day of the ages, character day and black and gold day.
Wednesday, Oct. 2: Homecoming Bonfire
The Homecoming bonfire, taking place on the practice football fields behind the school, gets the student body excited for the upcoming dance that weekend. Students enjoy music, free food and lots of dancing for several hours at the bonfire. Before the dancing begins, a fake mascot of the opposing team to be played that Friday is tossed into the fire by several football players. Members of the National Art Honor Society create the mascot to be burned.
Thursday, Oct. 3: Homecoming Assembly
The Homecoming assembly is not just any other assembly — it’s when the Homecoming court is introduced and walks down the “red carpet.” Also, football coach Eric Driskell talks about the big game the next day and encourages the students to get excited and come support the team. The assembly definitely sets the mood for the rest of the weekend.
As far as the Homecoming court goes, each senior nominates three boys and three girls from a list of all the senior students. Additionally, juniors nominate one boy and one girl from the junior class for the junior attendants. Then, after the Homecoming assembly, all students are able to pick one king and one queen from the list of five senior boys and five senior girls nominated. The two seniors with the most votes win. Members of the Homecoming court get to ride in convertibles during the Homecoming parade in addition to being introduced at the Homecoming assembly. The Homecoming queen is announced at the football game on Friday night, and the Homecoming king is announced at the dance on Saturday night.
Friday, Oct. 4: Parade & Football Game
The Homecoming parade takes place on Friday, Oct. 4 at 1:30 p.m., starting at the Wal-Mart parking lot and ending at Stanley Elementary. School is released early for students to watch the parade. Students and community members gather to cheer on the students. Various clubs and activities work on their parade floats for weeks in advance. Each class also creates a float relating to the theme of the Homecoming dance — this year’s theme is circus. The parade gets many students involved and excited for both the Homecoming game that night and the dance the next day.
Ah, the Homecoming football game. Even if you absolutely despise football — just come to this one game. The atmosphere in the student section is unlike anything you’ll ever experience. This year, BV will play BV Northwest. This is where the Homecoming queen is announced. The stakes of the game are much higher, since losing the Homecoming game is a big deal at our school. Everyone dresses up in their best black and gold, and you’ll get the chills just thinking about how much spirit and pride the student body has for our school.
A Few Suggestions:
- Participate in spirit week. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it. You will have so much fun dressing up in crazy outfits for the spirit days.
- Don’t spend too much money on a dress. You’re only going to wear it once, so it isn’t worth your life savings.
- Wear something you will be comfortable in. Strapless dresses may look cute, but is it worth pulling up every two seconds on the dance floor?
- Don’t overdo it. You don’t need to completely change the way you look — let your natural beauty shine through.
- By now, if you haven’t already made a reservation, there may not be many options left. But if there really isn’t anywhere else to make a reservation, just go somewhere like Noodles and Company, Panera or even Taco Bell. You’ll be able to laugh it off someday, and it’ll be a funny memory you’ll never forget.
- Dinner should be one of the most fun parts of the night. However, if you go with a date you don’t know very well, it could be a bit awkward. Just try to be relaxed and have fun getting to know each other better.
Volleyball team competes in annual tournament, conflicts with Homecoming dance
For the past three years, the Blue Valley volleyball team has played in the Joan Wells Invitational in Lawrence, Kan. on the day of Homecoming.
However, senior Rachel Gearon said she has never missed the dance because of the tournament.
“Right when we finish our last game, we run out of the gym and race home to shower and get ready,” she said. “We just don’t have time to go get our hair and makeup done like everyone else.”
Gearon said it doesn’t bother her to have a tournament on the same day as Homecoming.
“I don’t mind having games that day because we get to play some really good competition, and it’s fun to go and play some teams we don’t usually play,” she said.
Sophomore Liz Allen said there are conflicts with having the tournament on the same day as Homecoming.
“I don’t really like having a tournament on Homecoming because I just feel rushed when I’m trying to get ready after the last game,” she said.
She said she wasn’t late to pictures last year, but she came close.
“I just do the same routine as I normally would for any other dance,” she said. “I just have to rush around in order to get ready on time.”
Raise Your Voice: What do you think about BV’s Homecoming traditions?
- “We pride ourselves in our traditions at BV, but I think we should try to make them more unique,” junior Allison Gliesman said. “We have the potential to go above and beyond what has ever been done before.”
- “I think sometimes underclassmen over-exaggerate the traditions and upperclassmen should have more pizazz,” sophomore Sam Kalmus said. “Everyone should get more into this homecoming shin-dig and have more enthusiasm.”
- “I think they’re all very fun and really get our spirit up,” senior Emily Marr said. “It’s funny to see the different outfits during spirit week and really cute to see the Homecoming couples dressed up at the assembly and football game.”