It has been a long wait for the Senior High students as their annual Homecoming finally arrived. Due to COVID, last year students were unable to have a Homecoming as a precaution to their health, making this year’s festivities much more appreciated. 

Students were able to celebrate throughout the entire week by dressing up to daily themes. The week began on Tuesday, which was the yearly “generation day where sophomores come as babies, juniors as adults, and seniors as elderly people. On Wednesday, cowboy boots, flannel shirts, and hats were seen throughout the halls to pay tribute to the western theme.

Along with the dress up day, Thursday held a disco celebration put on by the Student Council on Patriot Avenue. These festivities included face painting, arts and crafts, dancing, cornhole, and delicious doughnuts too. Homecoming t-shirts that were up for purchase throughout the week were worn on Friday. Because of the Homecoming court showing, the pep rally took place outside on the football field during activity period on Friday, and showcased of the court to the students. 

For many people, planning for Homecoming starts well before the actual dance. Dresses and heels have to be coordinated, and of course, hair and makeup has to be on point too. Not only do students have to plan the attire, but days go into planning the after parties and the activities that follow. 

For sophomores, Homecoming takes just a bit more effort than the rest; each year, girls are asked to the dance with creative posters or a bouquet of flowers. Corsages and boutonnieres are hurriedly ordered to prepare for the night to come. To some, this process might not seem as stressful, but to others, a lot of planning goes into the preparation.

To follow the week’s fun festivities was the highly anticipated football game. After a rough start to the season, Jackson Prep’s football team crushed Lamar with a score of 51 – 14. 

With the high energy from the student section and Patriot Pack (formerly male cheerleaders, see story on page 11), the team came away with the huge win. The student section theme was cops and robbers, and outfits of black, orange, and navy blue were seen throughout the stands. Everyone was especially excited for the halftime show because the Homecoming court was to be presented in their long gowns, and as always, the Pacers, cheerleaders, and band performed as well.

Every year, the senior high student body receives a ballot in which they can personally vote for Homecoming Court and Homecoming Queen. This year, Kennedy Cleveland and Katherine Speed represented the sophomore class for Homecoming Court, while the junior class was represented by Gracie Atkinson, Maggie Birdsall, and Nehir Basser. Finally, the senior class Homecoming Court electees consisted of Andie Flatgard, Julia Stradinger, Evelyn Thornton, and Olivia Smith. Each girl was escorted by a male student of their choosing for the pep rally and their fathers for the half time presentation.

When asked about her Homecoming Court experience, Nehir Basser said, “I think this experience created an even stronger bond between me and theother girls who were on the Homecoming Court. I also loved sharing the special moment with my dad walking on the field in front of my classmates.”

At the end of the night, Andie Flatgard was crowned as the new 2021 – 2022 Homecoming Queen. Eliza Mazzaferro, the previous homecoming queen, was there to crown the new Homecoming Queen of Jackson Prep and hug her congratulations. Andie had this to say when asked about how it felt to walk on the football field during the halftime presentation:

She continues with telling what the crowning meant to her, “It’s a weird feeling because I know I did nothing to deserve it, and it easily could have been anyone else. I’m so grateful and I know it was a fun night for everybody, especially after no homecoming last year.”

As the football game ended, the student section slowly dwindled down as people left to get ready for the dance. Student council decorated Patriot Avenue with twinkle lights and set out refreshments for students as they arrived. 

Instead of the typical live band that had performed for the dance in previous years, there was a DJ; this change sparked a high mood with the heavy beats and smooth transitions through songs. 

Popular songs like “Sweet Caroline”, “24k Magic”, and crowd favorite “Whip and Nae Nae” were shouted throughout the night while dance circles broke out and people showed off their dance moves. 

Heels and sports coats came off as the hour mark hit and soon students filled cars with sore ankles and smiles to head off to after parties hosted by multiple people in each grade. Some themes for these parties included Halloween, Welcome to the Jungle, Mardi Gras, and Rave.  

Overall, this Homecoming was one for the books and the memories made with friends will last a lifetime.