The echoes of laughter and the spirit still linger in the air as we reflect on the homecoming weekend that just passed. It was a time when the past and present collided in a whirlwind of excitement, where alumni returned to their old high school, and current students reveled in the traditions that bind generations together. From spirited pep rallies to dazzling parades, and the climactic football game under the Friday night lights, this annual celebration of school pride and community spirit proved once again that some traditions are timeless. In this article, I’ll take you on a journey through the highlights of this unforgettable homecoming weekend, where memories were made and bonds were strengthened.
The Friday before homecoming is a very action packed day for Dakota. From fifth to sixth hour all grades attend a pep rally put on by the student council. The council picks two students to lead the pep rally and they are called the emcee. This year our announcers were Mario Quaglia, senior class president, and Elana Dordevski, senior class treasurer. They reported on different games the spirit corps participated in, the class winners of spirit week, homecoming court, the dance and cheer team, and got pied in the face by the winners of the pep rally games. Speaking of—the senior class spirit corps won this year’s games! Sophia Payne, Gracie Maloney, Johnathan Chubb, CJ Russel, Jake Kowlakowski, and Casey Phelan were this year’s senior class spirit corps. The classes competed in a variety of games like dodgeball and tug-o-war as the different classes cheered on their groups.
At the pep rally the Dakota band and drumline have a big performance. They show the school the production they’ve been working on for many months, and it’s very impressive! While the band played, the color guard preformed along with them. The band, drumline and color guard have been working so hard this year and it’s paying off for them.
Along with the band, the dance and cheer teams both did one of their routines. Junior Varsity and Varsity both had amazing numbers and really showed the dedication they have to their sport! It was very cool to witness the four different teams and see what they have been working on this school year.
After school, students only have a short amount of time to stop home before the homecoming parade starts. The cheerleaders, dance team, marching band, senior class, and homecoming court all walk in the parade. People line up along the street to watch and candy is thrown out to the children. This year the homecoming theme was “Cruise into Paradise”, so everyone dressed in tropical gear!
Shortly after the parade concludes, students and parents head over to the football stadium to get ready for the homecoming football game! This year we versed Romeo High school and had a 31-19 win despite Romeos good record. #10 Dimari Malone, #8 Brady Hamby, and #12 Keleb Pritchard all scoring touchdowns. Congratulations on another win Cougars!
A TikTok was posted on The Dakota Planet account with some festivities that went on during the pep rally and the football game! Click the link to watch it: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8MGheKd/
