With homecoming just around the corner, Neuqua Valley is very excited for the preparation of this annual dance. However, this year’s event will look slightly different from past years. First of all, this will be the first normal homecoming since 2019, because the last two years looked slightly different due to Covid. The dance will be held inside the gym this year instead of the outdoor location last year. Another new aspect of homecoming will be a more inclusive homecoming court selection process, which is creating a new level of excitement for Neuqua students. 

To learn more about the new changes of the homecoming court process for this year’s event, I sat down to interview Ms. Altidis – one of-  the sponsors of Neuqua Homecoming, to express my curiosity about the changes for this year. She said the homecoming court selection process was “identified by students, to provide a more inclusive experience this year.”  The student groups who were consulted were the chief executive officers of Student Council and members of the Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) in cooperation with building administration. Altidis says, “instead of 2 people per court, there are now 3 people.”, which is the main change this year. She says that it creates an environment of inclusion compared to last year, as they are letting more people get the opportunity to experience this event. She and the other committee members didn’t want to get rid of the court completely, saying that it was something people look forward to. Another change in the court this year is the addition of the opt-out form. Students who do not wish to be part of the court can choose to opt-out, while still giving the court experience to students who would like to be a part of it. Altidis thought this was the best solution for promoting inclusivity and satisfying the needs of students. 

Altidis also talked about the process of choosing this year’s theme. She said, “in the spring of 2022, we invite all student council members to come to a morning meeting, where we discuss some potentials for the next year’s theme. We look at what new ideas are brought up to the table, and then that group of student leaders vote for the theme.” This year, the students voted on the theme, “It’s Electric”: a disco theme with a neon color scheme. The student council members did a great job picking the theme for the year and they have amazed the whole school with their decorations. Everyone is amazingly excited to see how homecoming will go this year with the current theme. 

Although homecoming looks different this year, it still sparks levels of excitement throughout the whole school. The Student Council Special Events Committee really works hard to guarantee an exciting dance every year, and their effort is greatly appreciated. The change in court is a new addition to the dance this year, and hopefully it leaves a positive impact for next year’s homecoming as well. So, make sure to stop by the dance on Saturday and Go Wildcats!