With homecoming on the horizon, student government has organized a crazy week of activities and excitement, all to prepare for the dance on Saturday. Each year, student government creates, plans, organizes, and sets up all the spirit week festivities, activities, and events. Not only is spirit week fun, but there is also the traditional parade, dodgeball tournament, the game, and of course, the pep assembly.

Beginning in May, student government brainstorms a theme for the dance, and begins to choose decorations. The time between August and homecoming is the busiest time of year for the members of student government. The theme is finalized and decorations are purchased within two weeks of school starting. The next few weeks are devoted to committee activities, with committees on decorations, tickets, spirit, and assembly

The week of homecoming seems to pass in a blur, with spirit week, dodgeball, the parade, the game, and finally the dance. During the week, student government members participate in and facilitate each of these with practiced ease. Spirit week is decided days before, and announced the Friday before homecoming week begins.

This year’s spirit week is as follows:

Monday: USA Day

Tuesday: Jersey Day

Wednesday: VSCO vs. Goth

Thursday: 80’s day

Friday: Blackout

With everyone dressed up, you can feel the buzz of homecoming everywhere you go, with the final homecoming proposals being asked, and plans being finalized. Thursday begins the crazy weekend festivities, starting with the annual dodgeball tournament. Students come together to create teams of 6 that compete against each other in bracket-style play, with the final game during the pep assembly on Friday.

The pep assembly is student government’s first big statement of the year, and it is held as such. Following tradition, the assembly includes the teacher dance, tug-of-war between fall sports, the championship dodgeball match, and many other secret traditions.

After the assembly, the school clears, but not for long, as many students head to downtown Erie for the homecoming parade. Many students are involved in the parade, through band, athletics, clubs, or are a part of the homecoming court. The parade marches around downtown, and ends with the bustling stretch of Briggs Street.

Once the parade finishes, the students, family, and other members of the town make their way back to the overflowing high school parking lot. After tailgates, face painting, and finalizing their outfits, spectators begin to flood the new stadium bleachers. This year, the homecoming game is against Northridge High School at 7:00 pm. The theme is a blackout, synonymous with the spirit week theme of the day. The halftime show will include the homecoming royalty, and the long-awaited announcement of the senior King and Queen. Halftime will also feature performances from EHS band, poms, and cheer teams.

Following the football game, members of student government make their way inside to begin set up for the dance the next night. The overall goal is to complete set up of the floor, pipe and drape, and the hallway frame, along with some moving tables and cleaning of the bag check area. Depending on the time, decorations may begin to be set up as well. The school finally becomes empty at eleven o’clock that night, but it will not stay empty for long.

As the last sleep before homecoming comes to a close, members of student government arrive early to complete the dance set up, reporting to the school at 8:00 am with coffee in hand. Decorations setup is finished and the final touches are completed.

The next few hairspray-filled hours everyone spends time getting ready, taking pictures, and getting dinner before the dance starts.

Music fills the gym at 8:00 followed quickly by a rush of students, and the dance commences. The next three hours are filled with smiles, laughter, plenty of trips outside to cool off, and, of course, dancing. Everyone is always excited to see their friends in their formal attire. As the dancing wears down and students begin to leave, student government will be tearing down.

As the final decoration comes down, and the pipe and drape carts are rolled away, student government realizes they have successfully completed another memorable homecoming, and begin preparations for next year.