Homecoming. A collegiate custom to honor students from the past, but for Del Norte, this year’s inaugural event was about setting traditions for the future. It was an incredible week filled with spirit, floats, festivities, coronations, a parade, the big game and of course, the main event, the “Fire & Ice” dance.
This weeklong celebration, however, doesn’t just magically materialize. It takes an incredible amount of planning, teamwork, and dedication. It’s estimated that over 250 students and staff put in hundreds of hours of event organizing, float building, and preparing for the halftime show, all in an effort to ensure Del Norte’s first homecoming was a success. Planning started late last spring as the Spirit Committee brainstormed twenty possible themes and continued until the minute the gym doors opened at 8pm on October 27th.
Dance Commissioner Briauna Lopez (12) describes the great amount of detailed organization that goes into the event: “We pick and book a DJ, brainstorm decorations, special effects, lighting and refreshments, while also figuring out the publicity plan.” She adds that the biggest challenge, however, “is coming up with new ways to have a wow factor with the student body.”
According to ASB Advisor Ms. Allison Raczka, $15,000 was budgeted to be spent on the combined activities with the largest sums allocated for the dance, the parade (the permits, staffing, float rentals, etc.) and the halftime show (red carpet, crowns, sashes, etc.). Based on the more than 800 tickets that were sold, it appears ASB recouped their investment and even turned a profit. But profit isn’t what homecoming is about. Raczka says that her ASB staff put in long hours in an effort to provide “the students with memories to last them a lifetime.” Spirit Co-Commissioner Jill Swartzentruber (12) adds, “When everyone participates and enjoys it, that’s the greatest feeling.”