Editor’s note: Morgan McCulloh submitted this review of Homecoming Week 2013. Photos are compliments of the Whiteside News-Sentinel.
From Friday, October 4, to Saturday, October 12, 2013, students at Morrison High School took a break from their usual high school routine, to celebrate 2013’s music-themed Homecoming Week. The sounds of Thuse, the Homecoming pep assembly, parade, football game, and dance all defined the sound of spirit.
Behind the scenes are members of Morrison Student Council who, through their dedication and leadership, make Homecoming possible. This year, the upbeat and lively atmosphere soared through the school!
The opening act was the Student Council lock-in on Friday, October 4. The lock-in is an all-night preparation for Homecoming Week. Student Council members designed a variety of posters and decorations to make the school ready for a rockin’ week. Members worked through the night and filled the hallways with glitter, streamers, window paint, and balloons.
When Monday, October 7, arrived, the main show started in full swing. Every day of the week brought a new dress-up day for students and teachers to join in. They were as follows: Monday–bummer drummer day; Tuesday–rapper day; Wednesday–class color day; Thursday–farmer day; Friday–extreme red and white day. Competitions were held between each class during dress-up days to see who had the best fashion of the week.
Homecoming also brought the Thursday, October 10, event that many students look forward to, THUSE. Powder Puff started off the night with a bunch of girls geared up to play football. This year, the Seniors and Freshmen tied against the Sophomores and Juniors, with each team scoring one touchdown. The night continued with the Senior Dad football game, the Senior Mom-Pons dance, and the cheerleading and pons routines. The night ended with students surrounding a burning outhouse and some throwing their Thuse buttons into the flames.
On Friday, October 11, students enjoyed the picnic, pep assembly, and parade. Students at the high school got out of classes at 12:22 p.m. to have a picnic with hamburgers and hot dogs. Students and teachers played volleyball or Baggo while Mr. Sondgeroth played music. The pep assembly started at 1:30. Human scavenger hunts, cheers and chants, and a teacher dance proved this year’s pep assembly was very spirited and competitive between classes.
Once the pep assembly was over, the party moved on to the parade. Convertibles were designed and placed by Student Council’s parade committee. [Homecoming Queen Grace Bird and King Kritsana Jedjinda shared a vehicle with Princess Arianna Frederick and Prince Conrad Eichman.] Along with the convertibles, each class designed a float to roll down Main Street. The Junior class won with a rock n’ roll themed float.
Friday wrapped up with the Homecoming football game against the Rockridge Rockets. The Mustangs may not have won, but that didn’t stop everyone from dancing on Saturday night, October 12.
The grand finale of the Homecoming week concert was the dance on Saturday. Student Council did not sleep on Saturday morning; they prepared and decorated the gym and cafeteria. All of the decorations and designs were brought together by the Dance Committee. The dance started at 8:00 and ended at 11:00 p.m. Each person on the Homecoming Court received a VIP pass for the night, along with a walk down the red carpet for a dance.
Even though Homecoming Week is over now, some posters still hang on the walls, and a few streamers still dangle from the ceilings. They are the few material remains from Mustang Music Mania. In the Spring and early Fall of 2014, Student Council will work together again to make plans and preparations for next year’s Homecoming. The old posters will be thrown away, and the streamers will be taken down, but the memories and pictures of Homecoming Week will always be around.