Homecoming: Behind the scenes

Sydney Hembrough, Staff writer

In the world of high school, Homecoming week is, indeed, the most wonderful time of the year. There are many fun activities to boost your school pride, and the spirit days make getting up for school a little better. Girls spend weeks, sometimes even months, planning the perfect hair, nails, and outfit for an 8-11 o’clock dance on one Saturday in the fall. Tickets have to be bought, and dinner reservations need to be made. There is so much going on that it is easy to get lost in the fact that Homecoming week doesn’t just “happen.” Even though the information regarding the week comes through a typed announcement from the office, there are many people working behind the scenes who tend to go unrecognized.

The preparation for this special week starts much earlier than some may think. As soon as the new student body president is elected the year before, student government starts planning for Homecoming week. Preparation for this year started the last week of the previous school year to be exact. Student government, the leading force behind Homecoming week, spends hours prepping for this one week for everyone to enjoy. According to Nora Homolka, student body president, Homecoming takes approximately eight weeks to prepare for. Many meetings are spent preparing every detail. From the spirit days to the bell song, nothing can slide under the radar. Every little detail that students often take for granted was well thought out and organized by student government.

This year’s Homecoming took a little more planning than usual. Because of the school district’s 150th year anniversary, JHS had to incorporate this milestone into the Homecoming week, hence the theme “Through the Decades.” Homolka reports that this theme was chosen because it seemed more relatable to the student body than the district’s theme of “Rich History, Bright Future,” assuming that “Through the Decades”  would be easier to dress up and decorate with.

Going behind the scenes of Homecoming, one may see that planning all of the events isn’t a one-man task.There are committees for just about every event of Homecoming week. Homolka says, “We have committee leaders in the parade, the pep rally, Powder Puff and Iron-Man, coordination, decorations, tickets, and odd jobs.” In fact, Homecoming is almost entirely planned by the students. Mr. Chelsvig, JHS student government’s teacher sponsor, is there to oversee all of the decisions, but the students really get to make it their own. If a student government member has an idea, they run it by Nora Homolka and Mr. Chelsvig then run with it. Homolka explains that this is what is so great about student government. They get to plan the Homecoming THEY want, the way THEY want it. However, spirit days are not just chosen by those on student government. Suggestions are given from outsiders and then student government votes on them are their meeting. This gives the student body a say in what happens during this exciting week that they all share.

Despite all of the fun decisions that are associated with Homecoming week, it is not an easy job to tackle. Locations have to be booked, the police have to be contacted, and letters have to be sent. Homolka reveals that the hardest part of planning is organizing the parade and pep rally. “This is because there are so many different parts of these events,” she explained. She also bragged on her committee members saying, “Luckily, we have some great committee members that help us out.” Once everything is planned, it is important for the student government to make sure the week goes smoothly for everyone to enjoy.

Homolka would like to end the week by inviting others to join student government. She explains how they do more than just organize Homecoming, despite what some may think. “You get volunteer hours. You can put it on your resume. You learn leadership skills and make many new friends,” Homolka adds. The benefits definitely make up for the hours of hard work these individuals put into one week. If you have an interest in joining in on all of the fun, feel free to contact Nora Homolka or Mr. Chelsvig, and be on the lookout for announcements containing meeting information.