Homecoming – behind the scenes

With homecoming approaching FHC, organizers and planners work tirelessly to prepare

Senior+Aly+Janis+and+Junior+Gabe+Prather+stand+with+FHC+homecoming+advertisement+sign

Senior Aly Janis and Junior Gabe Prather stand with FHC homecoming advertisement sign

Catherine Analla and Carlin Reed-Bippen

Homecoming; the “ultimate high school experience.” Practically everyone in high school knows about homecoming, right? But do they know how much hard work goes into the planning and details?

“The prep for homecoming is extremely time consuming… the students make decisions on the basic theme itself,” says junior Gabriel Prather.

But how much do students actually decide when it comes down to homecoming?

“The students brainstorm and come up with the creativity and Mrs. Dennigmann helps it come together,¨ senior Allison Janis said.

Student Council spends about two weeks prior to the dance, purely just prepping and planning. Previously, the members had under-estimated how long and how time-consuming homecoming prep actually was.

“We started prepping way earlier this year with the decorations, because last year it was a little crazy. We also have more people in charge, directing specific things instead of everyone trying to set it all up,” sophomore Emma Mize said. “We have meetings every Thursday, because [homecoming] is such a big deal.”

Not only does the group take out time before and after the dance, but they stay after and show up earlier to take care of the dirty work.

“It takes a really long time, we usually stay after school on the day of the football game. We’ll stay [after school] for 4 hours, then go to the football game, and then stay again until 11, and we’ll also come back in the morning,” Mize said.

Money, which is also a big topic amongst school activities, is something that is provided from the school itself. Some of the money that Student Council uses to create the designs throughout the gym and school comes from fundraisers, giving parents, the Student Council fund from the school, and activity fees.

“The money [StuCo raises] is used for other things we put on, we do a lot of donations, I think we donated 10 thousand dollars or more to charity last year. We also stock that money away for next year’s homecoming,¨ Prather said.

The Student Council members also think that homecoming is a unique event that everyone should experience.

“I think people should at least try to go [to homecoming], because honestly it turns out really fun, even if you don’t have a date. It’s just something you can do with your friends and nobody is judging you or your dancing,” said Janis. “You make really good memories and you just feel good about yourself.”

“We put a lot of work into it and it’s super fun, you get to hang out with your friends and dance,” Mize said.