Ideally, a homecoming dance sets the standard for all school events, similar to fashion week in New York or the red carpet debut for award shows. This year’s homecoming was extraordinarily well put together from the music to the food. 

To me, homecoming has always been the model of how great the school year will or will not be. I originally was not fond of the change in location to the lobby. I simply thought that the place was too small, and it would be a terrible mistake to change such a big detail. As I entered the doors of the gym, my opinion soon changed. The lights were bright and gave it an enchanting appeal leading to the dance floor and the eating area. The dance produced a magical aura with tree lights to give an experience like no other. The event was the first of many exciting new alterations to make the dances more spontaneous to students

In previous years, the upper school homecoming dance was held in the McNeil Gymnasium; however, this year, the homecoming dance was held in the field house’s lobby. With the help of the Manager of Ancillary Services Ms. Jennifer Phillips and the Student Government, the event was a big success. The 2019 homecoming dance was a new experience this year. There was more to do, which made it more inclusive for all students, and the room was a better fit for what the homecoming committee had planned for this year’s theme. 

 The change was an amazing idea and created a magical first homecoming for freshman and a memorable last homecoming for seniors. The idea was reflective of the theme of a carnival. It created a tent-like arena, and when I recall going to the carnival, the tents were in built-in circular structures and have pillars similar to the ones in the field house. The shape of the lobby created an intimate environment for dancing, singing and having fun. The food was handpicked to give a carnival-like experience. It featured foods such as corndogs, popcorn, cotton candy, cookies, candy, and donut holes.

The dance featured twin, DJ Tootz, selected by Junior Ummu Bah, on a platform and students being able to hop on stage and engage with them. The music was also handpicked by student government officials and Junior Velton Baggett, making the dance coordinate with what our student body would like to hear, playing a variety of music. Not only this but the dance also allowed people who didn’t want to dance to be able to chill and have a fun homecoming experience in a different light. Students could choose to dance, eat, sit down and talk with friends or even play carnival games. In my opinion, the dance exceeded my expectations and makes me all the more excited to attend all the events that are going to be planned by Student Government and Ms. Phillips.