This week, September 16th-21st, Oak Forest High School celebrates Homecoming. Leading up to the Homecoming dance, there are multiple events. Weekly events include Spirit Week, hall decorations, the pep rally, the Homecoming parade, the football game, and the dance.
Homecoming is definitely one of the most-celebrated events of the semester–if not the whole year–at OFHS. Students prepare for the festivities by participating in activities such as Spirit Week. This year, Spirit Week includes Jersey Day; Red, White and Blue; Wild West vs. West Coast; Camo Day; and, of course, the usual Friday black-and-gold gear. Homecoming, as well as other dances and events, is one of the most effective ways to bring students together. Students compete in competitions during the week, create floats for the parade, decorate the halls according to theme, and cheer on the OFHS football teams.
While a few critics may think that school dances are silly, many of our students appreciate the community-wide dimension of these events. They give students something to look forward to each year, effectively becoming “high school memories.” Years later, many people still remember these events fondly. They might have even become the start of many new relationships.
Students can also vote on their preferred Homecoming court and compete in multiple activities. For example, students come together to decorate a designated portion of OFHS halls in the annual event known as Hall Decks. Usually, Student Council organizes the event. Each grade level has a specific theme that it must represent, and at the end of the week, the OFHS staff selects the winning hall and grade level. This year’s Homecoming theme is “Party In The U.S.A!” To go along with this year’s theme, hall decks will grant each grade level a popular city such as New Orleans or Las Vegas. Students also compete against each other during the week, participating in mini-challenges. For example, on Monday, students searched for QR codes to help gain points for their grade level. On Tuesday, students searched for mini-Bengal plushies. These competitions keep students active and bring together grade levels. The winners of the competitions will be announced at the Homecoming pep rally on Friday.
Friday is a big day for Homecoming festivities. Friday features not only the Homecoming pep rally but also the parade and the Homecoming football games. The Homecoming parade consists of floats created and filled with students from almost every club and sport at OFHS. With the OFHS marching band in the lead, the parade sets off from the parking lot and tours the town of Oak Forest’s elementary and middle schools. Each club decorates floats and throws candy along the route. Eventually, the parade leads back to the OFHS football field, where the pep rally takes place. After the pep rally and dismissal, students have a chance to get ready for the Homecoming football games. The Homecoming varsity football game is definitely one of the biggest games of the year. People from different high schools attend, and countless families of players, band members, dancers, and cheerleaders fill the stands. Overall, there are many things that will surely fuel students’ excitement over the course of the week.
