Kendra Coons, Cedar Springs High School Class of 2014
With Halloween comes pumpkins, scary costumes, candy, and this year, Cedar Springs High School’s Homecoming. Based on timing, Homecoming and Halloween fell only two weeks apart. So the SAC department decided to incorporate Halloween into Homecoming for 2013. This year’s theme was “Haunted Homecoming”. The theme involved spider webs, broken glass, and plenty of scary decorations. The students of CSHS geared up for the big day by participating in spirit days, decorating the hallways and cafeteria, cheering on our Red Hawks at the Homecoming football game, and concluding with the Homecoming dance.
Students loved participating in this year’s spirit days. Students dressed in pajamas on Monday, as their favorite superhero on Tuesday, beach and Hawaiian attire on Wednesday, matching with another student on twin day Thursday, and the traditional class color day Friday. This year, participation in spirit days skyrocketed. The Student Activities Council (SAC) really tried to promote school wide participation.
Cedar Springs students also searched the school for the “spirit ball competition”. A big red football hidden somewhere within the school, and the objective of the competition is to find it. The Sophomores and Juniors each found it one day, and Seniors found it three days.
Students spent two evenings decorating hallways for their respective classes. In the end, Seniors took first, Juniors came in second, Sophomores came in third, and Freshmen came in last. When it all came down to the end, the Seniors, Class of 2014, ended up winning the Homecoming competition and receiving the spirit jug.
To conclude the school week, the Cedar Springs Red Hawk varsity football team took the field for their annual Homecoming game. The Red Hawks went up against the Falcons of West Catholic. At halftime, Homecoming court was announced. Collin Alvesteffer and Lindsay Lehman accepted Homecoming prince and princess for the Freshman class. John Grisby and Jesseka Ruiter accepted the award for the Sophomore class. John Shaw and Shayne Mann accepted the title for the Junior class. Senior Homecoming court members included Kenzie Francis, Mitchel Hanmer, Austin Hilyer, Cameron Klompstra, Jeff Newland, Kim Pasley, Taylor Vanlangen, and Sayge Wight. Morgan Bennett was crowned Queen and Ian Murphy was crowned King. Although the Red Hawks put up a good fight, the Falcons took home the win, defeating Cedar Springs 36-14.
The dance then took place on Saturday, Oct. 12. Upon arrival, administrators placed wristbands on all students’ wrists. This was the first year that CSHS incorporated wristbands into the dance, in following with other schools in the OK Bronze conference. The “wristband rule” was started to reduce the amount of inappropriate dancing that occurs at school-sponsored dances. If a student was caught dancing inappropriately, their wristband was immediately cut off. If a student was caught dancing inappropriately without a wristband, the student was asked to leave the dance immediately. Many administrators, teachers, and students agree that the wristband rule did reduce the amount of inappropriate dancing.
The students and administrators worked hard to make “Haunted Homecoming” a week to remember.
