Here is the latest news about the homecoming parade, game, dance and more! 

Homecoming Court: 

The first round of Homecoming Court nominations is now open! Only seniors at Dakota High School can vote. The link was sent to all senior’s school email address and QR codes are on posters around the school. Voting for initial nominations opened Thursday September 15 and will close on Sunday September 18.  

Spirit Week: 

Get ready for the events happening October 3 through October 10. The week before Homecoming will be Spirit Week where everyone is encouraged to dress up according to the daily themes. The only official days that have been announced so far are Friday October 7 and Monday October 10. Friday will be Class Colors Day, where the freshman wear white, sophomores wear green, juniors wear blue, and seniors wear black. Monday will be Pajama Day, where all students should wear pajamas or comfy clothes. This will be great timing after the excitement of the weekend. All spirit wear should follow dress code guidelines, unless otherwise stated. More information on the themes for each day will be coming soon! 

Pep Assembly: 

This event will be held on October 7 and is for students only. Pre-Covid, there was always a Pep Assembly in the gym during school before the parade and all high school students would wear their class colors to school. Last year the pep assembly was outside in the stadium, and it is expected that it will be there this year as well. Members of the Spirit Corps (who are yet to be chosen for this year) compete against members in the other grades in games like dodgeball and tug of war. The cheerleaders and dance team will perform to hype the crowd up and the homecoming court also choreographs a dance they perform for everyone.  

Parade: 

The homecoming parade on October 7 is before the football game. It will begin at 4:00pm. It starts on Heydenreich and makes a left hand turn down Cougar Drive to end in the Green (North entrance) parking lot. People bring lawn chairs and blankets to set up on the side of the road to watch the parade. The Fire Department usually begins the parade followed by multiple different clubs, activities, and sports teams. Always included is the Homecoming Court who drive in nice and often decorated cars wearing court sashes over their dresses and suits. The clubs and sport teams participating in the parade have not yet been confirmed, but previous years’ parades have included both the choir and band, the executive boards for each grade’s Class Council, the Coalition Teen Council, the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, the Girl Scouts, and many other clubs. In addition, numerous Dakota sports teams march in the parade. StuGo’s parade planning committee follows in the back to pick up all the leftover candy thrown in the street. 

Game: 

The October 7 game is against the Eagles of Eisenhower High School, also known as “Ike”. At this time, the theme is still to be determined. The game will begin at 7:00pm and end at 10:00pm, but it’s a good idea to get there early before the parade. If you don’t, you may not get a parking space. At Halftime, the entire Court goes out onto the field and the Homecoming King and Queen are announced. The Dakota High School Marching Band and Color Guard will perform their best songs and routines. The Dance Team will put on a great show and the Cheerleading Team will keep the crowd energized while you root for your favorite football players. As always, food and beverages will be available at the concession stand during the game. Keep an eye out for the Class of 2023 Student Section Leaders who will pump up the energy of the stadium as everyone cheers your Dakota Cougars to victory! After the football game, students are allowed to go out onto the field and take pictures with friends as they celebrate. 

Homecoming Dance: 

This October 8 party is for students only. The theme is Hollywood. Think red carpets, celebrities, and glamor! Students can dance the night away with all of their friends! So far it is unconfirmed if students will be allowed to bring guests from other schools, but it hasn’t been outright rejected. It is most likely that Seniors will be the only ones given permission to bring outside guests. If students are allowed to bring guests, they cannot bring more than one and the guest must be under twenty-one years old. Stay tuned for more updates! 

At the main building dance, the Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned. There will be a photo booth to capture memories of the evening. Last year, the dance was held outdoors in tents due to the pandemic, but Homecoming 2022 will be back in the school building. The main building dance will begin at 7:00pm and end at 10:00pm and will be held in the atrium. 

The ninth graders have a separate dance at the ninth-grade center that starts and ends an hour earlier than the main building dance. The ninth-grade dance will begin at 6:00pm and end at 9:00pm and takes place in the ninth-grade center cafeteria. Freshmen are not allowed at the main building dance and vice versa.  

Conclusion: 

Everyone should be excited about the upcoming festivities at Dakota High School! It will be a time for students to take part in many activities to celebrate the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. They will have the opportunity to show off their hard work in athletics, music, dance, leadership, and clubs. It will be a chance to socialize, have fun, and make memories that will last forever. When asked about the preparations for homecoming, Mrs. Young, the Student Activities Director and one of the teacher advisors for StuGo, said “This is a student planned event. They really are doing it mostly by themselves, and they are doing a great job. It will be amazing!” 

StuGo President, Hanna Jankowski, agreed. She said, “Homecoming is the biggest annual event that StuGo hosts. Everyone in the club puts a lot of effort into making sure students have a great time. It’s an awesome community event too, especially the parade. We always love to see students dressing up for spirit week and participating in the pep assembly games before the big dance the next day.”