Evelyn Ruan also contributed to this article.
Stepping into the courtyard on October 3rd, students were greeted with hanging wisteria flowers, purple garland, and an array of colorful streamers. As students walked further into the courtyard, a giant sun drawn in chalk welcomed them along with other whimsical, colorful designs, giving students a magical feeling as if they were transported into the popular Disney movie Tangled.
With hopes of bringing a lively and nostalgic atmosphere, the Class of 2027’s student council hosted this year’s homecoming dance in the courtyard. Under floating lanterns, students had fun, took pictures, and danced.
Many students agreed that the CO‘27 nailed this year’s homecoming. For many, including junior Jason Doan, the dance exceeded his expectations.
Junior Ayanna Mesidor was fond of the decorations, particularly the chalk design inspired by the movie, though she hopes future dances will feature a wider variety of music to encourage more students to dance.
Similarly, Doan shared that he hopes “to see more energy, and more people having passion to dance.” Despite the lack of energy, the atmosphere was “supportive,” and he mentioned that other students encouraged him to set the mood and dance.
In spite of these mixed feelings, homecoming offered students an opportunity to connect outside of school. Senior Kayla Charles appreciated the chance to dress up; she added, “Even if you’re not someone who likes going out, it’s a good excuse for walking around with your friends.”
Bringing the Tangled theme to life required weeks of preparation from the senior student council. Secretary Cat Nguyen said planning began early in the school year, with the council spending weeks organizing decorations, food, and other details.
Social Media Coordinator Anniyah Azhar expressed that the council was “in between La La Land and Tangled,” but chose Tangled because “there was a lot more to work with and it encapsulated a sort of nostalgia.”
Along with selecting a theme, the council found that “the most challenging part of organizing the dance was getting permission to have it on a Saturday,” and putting up the decorations.
“People usually do not host [homecoming] on a Saturday,” Azhar noted. Also, the council had to “assume that the weather would be nice” since they held the event after a long cold week.
Volunteers and council members arrived early to hang streamers, lanterns, and banners, working together to transform the courtyard. The Fine Arts Club (FAC) also volunteered by face painting requested characters and designs. Their contributions helped bring the Tangled-inspired setting to life.
According to Nguyen, who is also the president of FAC, the effort paid off. She described the event as “lively, stunning, and enchanting,” adding that the council and club had worked hard to create an enjoyable experience for students.
Along with the decorations and dancing, the announcement of the Homecoming Courts gave students another reason to have fun and celebrate. President Alexia Lima, who is also an Editor-in-Chief for The Blue and Gold, called each of the courts by grade and crowned them, giving the spotlight to seniors Aiden Tarantino and Emilly Weihrauch, who is also the Editor-in-Chief of Web & Mobile Stories for The Blue and Gold, sophomore Anna Batres, and freshmen Laura Lenares and Ava Garcia.
Lenares voiced that she was shocked when she found out she was crowned, adding that she nominated herself“ for fun and did not expect to win,” but felt “very grateful.”
“Being crowned means that I have gained proper relationships with the right people and that you can always overcome your rough past if you just let it all go and start fresh,” Tarantino said.
Although students had different perspectives about the dance’s energy and decorations, many appreciated the time out of school and the chance to make memories with friends. This year’s Tangled theme brought a touch of childhood nostalgia to the courtyard, but students hope future dances will pair creative themes with an engaging atmosphere as this year’s homecoming did.
“It was very lively. I wouldn’t mind paying more in order to have a better experience,” sophomore Ruth Mekonnen concluded.
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