COVID-19 has altered the way activities are being held this school year and throughout the community. Homecoming is an example of one of the events that will be put on differently. In previous years each grade, club and sport builds a float to ride on during the homecoming parade. The parade finishes when football players, Railiners and cheerleaders stop at Fischer Field and prepare for the varsity football game. During half time, the senior homecoming candidates are introduced while the pairs of candidates show off their creative handshakes. Once all candidates are introduced the winners are announced and crowned. After the game, students go back to the school and attend the homecoming dance. 

This year, there will not be a parade or a homecoming dance. Like previous years, the candidates will still be introduced and will walk out in pairs. However, candidates will not be allowed to do their prepared handshake. 

“We will definitely have to change some things to ensure the safety of the candidates and that will include the handshakes and making sure everyone is spread out. [The handshakes were started] just recently, a long time ago they didn’t do them,” STUCO adviser Erica Rickard said. 

Even though the COVID-19 pandemic has deterred some of the school spirit plans of STUCO, they plan to adapt to these circumstances whether that means remote, hybrid or in person spirit week.

 “The goal of STUCO throughout this year is to continue to promote school spirit no matter what happens through this pandemic,” senior Savannah Garcia said. 

Following the guidelines of the administration, dances will not be an event that can be held while continuing to social distance. This includes the back to school dance, homecomings and prom. 

“I am head of the dance committee so I am trying to work things out with administration, personally I would love to have some form of activities or “dances”, but we are still trying to find ways to do that safely,” Garcia said. 

Student body president Eli Redington feels as though he wants to make this homecoming week as fun as possible even without the dance. Reddington said that we all need a bit of excitement as it has been a crazy start to the year.