by SYDNEY CLIFFORD
It’s time to re-imagine what Homecoming week looks like.
Homecoming week. Thoughts of spirit and festivity come to mind when I think of those two words. Celebration of our school, our activities, our individuality. What makes this school different from every other school out there.
But this year? I can’t say that those same feelings were invoked.
There appears to be a steady decline in the pep and festivity that Homecoming week used to draw from the student body. As an eager freshman new to Westfield schools, I was so excited to be a part of something different and fresh. I dressed up for each Spirit Day and enjoyed myself at the pep rally with the competitions and much more. This year, however, barely made me enjoy myself. Similar Spirit Days were selected yet again, and the pep rally was extremely sub par. I felt that the school radiated very little school spirit, while other schools exuberated it during their homecoming weeks.
What can be done about it?
We need to get at the sole root of what Homecoming week is about. It is for recognizing the school as a whole, not just a few aspects. There can’t be an extreme focus on just ONE thing, but rather a widespread appreciation of what everyone has accomplished. Boys’ tennis? Girls’ golf? Cross country? Marching band? Nothing but a mere whisper. We need to recognize that the people who make up this school are not just the ones that take the field on Friday nights. Westfield is not just about one activity but about the diverse ways for people to get involved.
Current trends and creativity must be taken account of when planning for Homecoming week. I can’t think of one person who didn’t say meme day would be a bad idea. I mean, come on, that was a missed opportunity right there. Beyond that, we should take into account that a pep rally is supposed to get people hyped. Too many people this year were disappointed with the pep rally. There needed to be something that connected more with the student body and kept their attention. What happened to staff vs. students basketball? Or tug-of-war? Why don’t we have some sort of inter-class competitions? Instead, we chose to have a lukewarm “celebration” of our student body. There needs to be so much more to appreciate a least some of the things this school has to offer.
I hope that my last year at Westfield, something new, something fresh, will come about for Homecoming. I hope that our Student Government will take that into account.