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With one of the first activities free of COVID restrictions and the most exciting event officially over, Homecoming (HOCO) gave a sense of the normalcy and expectation for all future school activities. After receiving criticism for last year’s dance, Coach Howard Noel alongside Student Government Association (SGA) worked to improve aspects of Spirit Week, the Parade, and the Court activities leading up to the dance.

This year’s theme was “Celebrating 60 Years of Pioneer Pride.” Coach Noel hoped to create a more inclusive school community for alumni and current students’ increased participation in school events. During the process of reaching out to graduates all the way back to 1961, he gained new school sponsors to make future events even more memorable.

The biggest criticisms of last year’s dance were related to the unmemorable theme, food, VIP section, and music. The majority of the student body either didn’t remember or were uninformed about the theme of “Into the Light, Out of the Darkness.”

Midway into the dance, the free drink and meal, supposedly included in the purchase of a students entrance ticket, ran out. The VIP section, placed between bushes, was also received negatively and the most heavily criticized aspect of the event was the music. 

This year, SGA introduced the theme with a heavy emphasis on Pioneer Pride. While last year’s spirit week days were reused, last week still ended strong with every student given a free class color shirt that they were instructed to wear for Friday’s pep rally.

Alumni were present for the homecoming game on Friday night and so were Jalen Lewis and Kayla Martin, our previous HOCO King and Queen. As the winners were announced, Lewis and Martin crowned our new King Jonathan Leonis and Queen Nayomi Cruz. Fireworks were ignited during their crowning and every time the football team scored. 

On Oct. 15th at 8 p.m.,  students experienced the return of the 360 camera, the photo booth, a change in location, enough food and refreshments for everyone, and better music. 

SGA gives a huge thanks to Coach Noel, SGA President Alejandro Albino, SGA councils and volunteers, Principal Alvarado, and all the staff for their hard work and dedication to making this year’s spirit week, homecoming game, and homecoming dance an experience to remember.