How Homecoming Became the Heart of Fall Traditions
By Brynn Schwartz
Every fall, school suddenly feels a little louder, a little brighter, and a lot more spirited. Posters are hung up, students dress up for silly theme days, and the excitement of talking about what is coming. It’s homecoming season.
A tradition that started a long time ago but has grown into something every student can enjoy, even the elementary school. By the mid-1900s, homecoming became one of the most exciting times of the school year including pep rallies where students pack into the gym to cheer for their classmates, spirit week with fun costumes, and parades where floats rolled down Main Street.
“It probably started about 2005, and in the old days, every class used to make a float. It was done by grade-level classes. We got together all week in the evenings after practices got over and made these floats, and so some people used hay racks, some used just trailers, and some people just did the back of a truck,” Mark Brahmer, principal, said.
As the parade was always a tradition, when Brahmer became principal, he decided that the high school students should make the kids at the elementary school a part of it, too.
“I felt we needed to make an impact on our little people down at the elementary school. So we started doing that pep rally at the main entrance on the east side of the elementary school at that time, and we did it just like we do now, where we let each sponsor or coach introduce some of the key players or key members or captains or seniors on their team or in their club or organization and band played, and we have an opportunity also for those young kids to interact with the older kids through an autograph session,” Brahmer stated.
“I enjoyed hoco week and being able to get the opportunity to decorate a float to our liking, and as long as I could remember, businesses would decorate windows and have a competition on who had the best display,” Rod Schwartz, class of 1997, said. “I believe going to the elementary was a good idea as it allowed kids to meet some of their favorite sport players and being able to also feel a part of homecoming week.”
In the end, homecoming is more than just a week of events. It is a tradition that brings students, staff, and the community together. From the floats and pep rallies to the elementary kids getting their first taste of school spirit, it shows how one celebration can connect everyone, and each fall, those memories remind us why homecoming is an important part of school life.
