Julia

Friday night lights at the ERHS Homecoming game.

The week of Homecoming is arguably one of the most important weeks of the school year. This week includes spirit days, a pep rally, and of course, the Homecoming football game. But why is this week so important? Why do we have spirit days and a pep rally? What even is a homecoming?

To kick off the week of homecoming, the school has spirit days from Monday through Friday. Students were able to vote for which spirit days they wanted the school to have, choosing from a list that was sent out on a schoolwide Google form. This year, the results of the vote were as follows: Monday was pajama day, Tuesday was twin day, Wednesday was jersey day, Thursday was Adam Sandler day, and on Friday, the day of homecoming, students wore black and orange to show their school spirit. The purpose of these spirit days is to build up excitement for the Friday night football game at the end of the week: Homecoming.

But the homecoming game wasn’t the only source of excitement that took place on Friday, October 6, 2023. Instead of classes taking the full 41 minutes, class periods were shortened to about thirty minutes to make room for pep rally. At pep rally, all junior varsity and varsity sports teams gathered on the football field, each team making an exciting entrance through the Rocks tunnel while playing a song of their choosing on the speakers. Among the teams were also East Rockaway teams that were combined with Malverne High School, such as soccer and tennis. Varsity teams wrote speeches that were announced by the JV football coach, Fred Cange. After all of the teams entered the field, the junior high and varsity cheer teams gave a combined performance in order to raise school spirit. Afterwards, the varsity cheer team performed once again– this time including multiple stunts and tumbling. They also gave the same performance during halftime at the homecoming football game. 

After the performance concluded, the names of the Homecoming King, Queen, Princess and Prince, Staff King, and Staff Queen were announced: Congratulations to Christopher Johnson and Sophia Alfieri on being voted Homecoming Queen and King, James Lewald and Melanie Colon on being voted Homecoming Prince and Princess, and congratulations to Mr. Bovino and Mrs. Refino on being voted Staff Homecoming King and Queen. Afterwards, two students from each grade that did not participate in sports volunteered to play a game on the field. A timer was set, and the duo that wrapped their cheerleader in the most toilet paper won. The class of 2027 won this game. Then, a heated game of musical chairs was played. The winner was a player on the varsity MER Soccer team. Lastly, school was dismissed, and the big game was only a few hours away.

The stands quickly filled as the homecoming parade concluded. The homecoming parade started at Centre Avenue Elementary School and ended at the East Rockaway High School. Sports teams, as well as various clubs such as Key Club, YOUNations, and National Honor Society, marched in this parade. Many citizens of East Rockaway stood in front of their houses and watched, filmed, and cheered on the people who marched in the parade. Finally, at 6:45PM, the moment we had all been waiting for: the game started! While many were watching the game, others were fundraising for their class or their clubs. Each class set up their own tables where they sold food. Each class took a different approach on which foods they were selling, and the theme of their food stand. The yearbook and PTA also raised money, selling non-food items such as glow sticks, sweatshirts, and sunglasses.

At the end of the night, after the Rocks took the win against the Oyster Bay Baymen, people were buzzing with excitement as they left the football field and went home. All of the buildup, activities, and excitement of Homecoming 2023 had finally come to an end. But Rocks Pride is not seasonal– we will continue our school spirit throughout the year. #GOROCKS!