Wauwatosa West’s homecoming week is one of the most exciting weeks of the year. From daily advisory contests, to lunch games, pep rallies, parades, the homecoming football game, and the homecoming dance, there are many opportunities students and teachers take advantage of participating in.
To make all of these activities happen, it takes a tremendous amount of work, planning and dedication.
“Homecoming week is a lot of work, but it’s a lot of good work coming from a variety of people that are putting this together. And I think that’s why I’m so passionate about it, making sure everyone shows up excited,” said Homecoming Advisor and Social Studies Teacher Padi Kong.
Co-homecoming advisor and Social Studies teacher Chris Benes agrees that planning homecoming can become a little difficult at times.
“There’s a lot of different and separate events that take place all week. So as you focus on one thing, making sure that you’re still like, making sure the other things are getting the attention they need,” said Benes.
Despite the amount of work, for students and staff members, homecoming week is a highlight of the school year.
“It’s kind of a week where we kind of can let loose and do things differently from what we normally would do.
For a lot of kids it’s their favorite week of the school year, and I would agree,” said Kong.
Homecoming advisors and Social Studies teacher Padi Kong, Chris Benes and members of the Student Council work together to make homecoming a meaningful experience for as many people as possible.
“I love the day when we have to like, vote on the homecoming themes and all that stuff, because it’s really exciting to get everyone’s input,“ said Kong.
Even though the members of Student Council don’t take care of things like finances or coordinating large events like the parade or dance, they still play an important role in shaping the details of what homecoming week looks like every year.
The student council proposes, debates and decides on the homecoming spirit days and homecoming dance theme, as well as coordinates coverage during lunch hours to sell tickets and supports the various activities throughout the week.
“Personally, one of my favorite parts of putting homecoming together is just voting on the themes, seeing everyone’s ideas, and seeing all of the different directions we can take for HOCO. Of course I also really love the actual execution of our plan and seeing everything and everyone coming together to make HOCO special,” said sophomore Student Council member Estelle Baldwin.
The series of activities planned for homecoming week is meant to give all students a way to connect to one another.
“It’s the one time of the year that our whole school comes together. It’s not like cliquey, it’s not upper class versus younger class, but it’s like everyone’s together. Everyone’s having fun together, everyone’s dressing up together,” said Senior Kira Simpson.
Throughout the school year, every Tosa West student is enrolled in a weekly grade level advisory class.
Homecoming week activities also include competitions between advisory classes. Each advisory can earn points for decorating their door, winning hallway music bingo, dressing up for spirit week, and donating granola bars for the granola bar drive. The winning advisories are announced at the school pep rally and the first place winner keeps a large trophy for the year.
“The competitiveness of the different competitions during an advisory. I think that brings the advisory classes together too, because not everybody has advisory with their friends,” said Simpson.
From advisory contests to dress up days, the wide variety of activities and the design of some of the elements of homecoming are meant to give students and teachers easy ways to participate in the homecoming fun and celebrate a new community together.
“It’s a fun, fun week. Teachers get involved, and I know students appreciate that, but it’s really just a reminder of who we are. And you know, there’s so many other things that sort of divide us or that we have focused on, that we focus on individually, but it emphasizes community,” said Benes.
