Homecoming builds unity in the community

Last fall, on the Homecoming day of my junior year at Lawrence High School, I was practically dragged by one of my friends to our school’s bleachers to watch the football game. It was the first time I had ever gone to a Homecoming game, and I had only just begun to discover how much I had missed out on during my first two years of high school.

With wide eyes I sat down next to as fellow classmates and teachers chatted loudly and exchanged laughs. The atmosphere was vibrant and uplifting, and I could feel it swirl around me as people cheered on the “Golden Tornado,” our football team’s mascot. The game started and I found myself cheering fervently for our team, my voice indistinguishable amongst the unified roar of all who came to support our school and have a good time.  

This year, Lawrence High’s Homecoming game will take place this Saturday. Leading up to the big day is our annual “Spirit Week,” which includes daily themes such as “Pajama Day” and “School Colors Day.” The excitement continues through Friday with a pep rally during which the Homecoming King, Queen, and other members of the “royal court” are elected. The next day at 11:30 a.m., everyone in the community is welcome to join our enthusiastic and talented marching band at the Lawrence train station. They will lead our annual Homecoming parade all the way to the high school. Band member, Ameera Muhammad, explains that the band really “sets the mood” for the big game. Quoting her marching band director, Brian Stabile, she says, “You can’t have a parade without the marching band. Otherwise, it’s just a walk.”

The band members aren’t the only ones getting excited for Homecoming. In fact, everyone is. The cheerleaders are preparing their most complicated cheers and dances, the football team is practicing, determined to win, and the rest of the student body is basking in school spirit, waiting for the day to finally come. You can hear the buzz in the hallways, you can feel the excitement as it radiates out of the air vents, which could possibly be an explanation for why it has been so hot in school lately, and you can taste the anticipation on your tongue as you write the date on the top of a worksheet, knowing that Homecoming is one day closer.

In the end, Homecoming is not about football or cheers, but unity. We look forward to Homecoming because it is a hiatus from the stress of homework, tests, and for the seniors like me, college applications. Homecoming gives students an opportunity to come together as a school and community, and root for something together, because even during the most difficult times, it always feels good to know that there is something to look forward to and cheer about.