Homecoming dance impresses students

The 2015 Homecoming game was won in a whirlwind by the varsity football team in the last two minutes of play. The following day, students finished up the week at the dance.

Check out the above video for some highlights of the dance and the crowning of the homecoming king!

The Oct. 17 Homecoming dance theme was black and white. Although that was the theme, many people were dressed in colors ranging from teal to gold. People were “whipping” and “wobbling” and dance ended with a chant for more. White and silver streamers hung from the ceiling, and there were black and white balloons scattering the floor. Around the corner people crowded around the cookies, chips and chocolate fountain.

Danae Delocier was a chaperone during homecoming.

My favorite part was the dancing, of course.

— Maritza Valencia

“[I’ve chaperoned] the last two years, this is my third year,” Delocier said. Many chaperones helped out; from watching and managing the food table to collecting the tickets as kids walked in.

“I was signed up for it, I was ‘voluntold’,” Delocier said about why she decided to chaperone.

Sophia Alder-Stephens is a freshman who attends Freedom High School. She used to attend Thomas Harrison and visited her friends this weekend to watch the Homecoming Football game and attend Homecoming.

“My first reaction when I walked in, was that no one was dancing and there wasn’t a lot of people, but after the cupid shuffle it got better,” Alder-Stephens said. “My favorite part was just being there with friends.”

Senior Abner Johnson is crowned king.
Courtesy of Valerie Kibler
Senior Abner Johnson is crowned king.

Alder-Stephens was disappointed that more of her peers couldn’t make it because they were at the Parade of Champions (POC) band competition at JMU.

Several band students left POC early to make it to Homecoming. Maritza Valencia, a sophomore in Marching Band, was one of those students.

“My favorite part was the dancing, of course,” Valencia said, “I didn’t like it ending at 11, it should’ve ended later. If I could have change anything, I would have made it later and put it in the gym and decorated it even more.”

After band students performed their show they were free to leave the competition early.

“I don’t regret leaving POC, it was worth it,” Valencia said.

Delocier talked about how homecoming has changed.

“[There is a] lot less dancing now, it’s more hanging around and talking, at least the dancing at my high school there was a lot more old school dancing like the electric slide and the Macarena, things like that,” Delocier said.

Jack O’Brien is a sophomore attending Homecoming for the second time this year.

“[My favorite part was] just hanging out with friends,” O’Brien said, “I plan on going again.”

As homecoming came to an end, students picked up a mason jar filled with candy.

Students take favors at the end of the dance.
Courtesy of Valerie Kibler
Students take favors at the end of the dance.

“This year was much better than last year, the enthusiasm, the vibe and everything. The DJ was great,” Valencia said.