Written by Brennen Hautzinger & Ariel Lopez, Staff Writters
Many months before Student Council members hang decorations or sell a single ticket, planning for Indian Trail High School’s biggest dance begins.
Students launch into the lengthy process of picking a homecoming theme and getting approval from administration last May. They select and order dozens of decorations, design tickets, and refine details. The work starts in May and doesn’t end until hours after the dance.
“Homecoming is heavily attended compared to other events in the school. Over the past few years, we sell out of dance tickets in roughly ve days,” said Megan Awe, science teacher and Student Council adviser.
This year’s event drew a crowd of more than 1,300 students, underscoring the immense responsibility resting in the hands of student leadership to ensure a successful homecoming week.
Not only does Student Council plan the dance itself, it also organizes the spirit week that precedes dance night. Homecoming oat planning, homecoming decoration creation and ticket sales during lunches are a few examples of tasks vital to making the event a success.
Homecoming 2019’s parade drew 29 oats featuring various clubs and teams, despite the blustery winds, frigid temperatures, and occasional rain.
In the hours leading up to the dance, a dedicated group of council members worked diligently to transform the commons into an Oscar party-like venue, rolling out the red carpet to make the formal nature of the evening seem as realistic as possible.
In keeping with the theme of “Lights, Camera, Action,” students created a giant Hollywood sign and clapboard to further set the mood.
Jordan Bennett, a senior and Student Council vice president, said roughly 50 to 75 people gathered for a couple of hours earlier Saturday, Oct. 12, to put the dance together. A smaller, core group labored about 10 hours before their arrival, she said.
One of the most important tasks that they completed was to map out the layout. As members set up decorations, tables, and other essentials, they also made sure that there was enough room for students to be able to dance without breaking something or hurting someone.
Most challenging is definitely finding the money and decorations to accommodate everyone for the dance, Bennett said.
In the end, all the hard work is worth it, she said.
“I enjoy most that we students can come together to create something for our peers,” Bennett said. “And knowing we spent hard work and time on our work makes us appreciate it all much more.”