Loud music, crowds dancing, and students dressed up nicely. The one night throughout the entire school year where all students can party with their fellow classmates. There are even students from other schools attending other homecomings, whether it be because of friends or just because it sounds fun.

Homecoming is one of the most important events at the beginning of the school year. Both West and Central hosted their own, with some strong differences between them. There’s the theme of both events, the energy, and the level of security.

The two events had two different themes. West’s theme was Enchanted Garden, so the venue was decorated with leaves and fairy lights, with some students dressed in pastels and floral outfits. Central’s theme was Out of this World, so the venue was decorated with stars and aliens, with some students there dressed in shiny and silver outfits. 

Whether it was the themes that hyped up students or just strong school spirit, the energy at each event did not match.

“For the most part, [the students] know how to maintain a good, clean, fun time. Definitely a little bit of tomfoolery going on we’ll say, [but] mostly pretty standard stuff,” teacher Zach Zelnio stated. Zelnio was a chaperone at West’s dance from start to end, so he witnessed how the students behaved all night.

There was a large crowd of students dancing and singing in front of the DJ station with their phones out, recording their experience. Many students did, however, spend the night at the back of the room with their friends, having their own little parties.

Central students had more “dangerous” levels of energy.

“Most of them were well-behaved, however we did have students who were crowd surfing and way too many picking up students on their shoulders, which is very dangerous,” long term substitute Brain Stocking said, who chaperoned Central’s dance. The students also had a large crowd of students in front of the DJ stand, but the majority of them weren’t filming.

Student energy at school might play into the level of security at the dances, because even security was different at each dance.

West’s Homecoming was strict on how you could get into the dance. Students had to pass being scanned with a metal detector, show their student ID and ticket in order to be allowed into the dance. If a student showed up without a ticket, they wouldn’t be allowed in, even if the teachers knew who they were.

Central was not that strict.

“Central didn’t really have any security. You could basically just walk in,” senior Nicholas Graap stated, who attended Central’s Homecoming. There were no metal detectors and no one was making students present their IDs and tickets before entering.

Even though there were differences in West and Central’s homecomings, students had fun nonetheless and some look forward to next year.