The 25th annual homecoming game will be held against Riverdale High School at Clark Intermediate, Oct. 16. As one of the year’s most anticipated events, homecoming will feature several activities during the week before the game.
The student leadership class chose “Happiest Places on Earth” as the theme of the event. Each class selected a region of Disneyland to portray on their floats, which will be presented during halftime of the game.
In the previous weeks, students made nominations for homecoming court, naming king, queen and princess candidates (view the factbox for a complete listing).
The five king nominees will perform a choreographed dance during chapel, Oct. 16. After the dance, the student body will vote for homecoming king and the winner will be announced later during the day.
“When I found out I was nominated, it was a surreal moment because I felt honored that my class chose me,” king nominee Tyler Duerr, ’10, said. “I think the king dance will be fun and embarrassing; the goal is to make it as embarrassing as possible.”
The queen candidates will participate in the annual queen pageant, Oct. 15, which includes interviews and unorthodox games. Each nominee will be matched with a senior guy in the race for king.
“I was really excited [when I found out] because I didn’t think I would be nominated,” Olyvia Franklin, ’10, said. “I don’t think I’m ready [for the pageant] because I don’t know what they’re going to have us do.”
Four girls in each of the freshman, sophomore and junior classes received nominations for homecoming princess. They will participate in the princess pageant, Oct. 14, where they will undergo challenges such as mud sliding.
“I’ve made it a goal of my high school career to beat my sisters; my sister Eleanor [’08] was nominated for queen but didn’t win, so that gives me a chance to be better than her,” Rachel Wilhelm, a junior nominee, said. “I think the princess pageant will be interesting because I don’t know what to expect.”
At homecoming night, each class will present a float to be judged by teachers. The seniors chose Fantasyland as their theme for the float and will include Disney princesses, “It’s a Small World” and “Peter Pan’s Flight.”
“I don’t really like the Disneyland theme because it could be better,” Frank DeFrancesco, ’10, said. “I don’t like the Fantasy[land] theme at all because I’m a guy and princesses are too girly.”
The juniors chose Adventureland as their float theme. This region of Disneyland includes “Tarzan’s Treehouse,” “Indiana Jones Adventure” and “The Jungle Cruise Adventure.”
“This year’s theme is good because it opens up a wide variety of things to put on your float,” Tim DeGroot, ’11, said. “Juniors will dominate everyone else this year. The past two years we were purposely doing bad just to psych everyone out, but this year we are going to rock.”
The sophomores, who won the float competition last year, will portray New Orleans Square on their float. Rides in this area include “The Haunted Mansion” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
“I like our theme this year because it’s the one I wanted,” Emily Daniel, ’12 said. “The haunted mansion will look cool on a float, and I am excited for my first homecoming.”
In with tradition, the freshmen had last priority to choose a theme and ended up with Tomorrowland. They can decorate their float with the rides “Autopia,” “Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blaster,” “Star Tours,” “Space Mountain” and “Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.”
“I don’t like our class theme because I think it will end up focusing only on space,” Ashley Erickson, ’13, said. “We might ignore other aspects of Tomorrowland.”
The junior varsity game will begin at 5:30 p.m. and the varsity game will start at 7:30. Admission costs $6 for adults and $4 for children and senior citizens. Fresno Christian students with ID cards gain free admission.
For past coverage of homecoming events, visit the Oct. 3, 2008, article, Dance crowns homecoming king.
