The Oshkosh West Index - Homecoming planners ante up new ideas for dance alterations

Volume 106, Issue 1

Online Features

Homecoming planners ante up new ideas for dance alterations

By Kylie O’Keefe
posted September 26, 2009

With five weeks of classes under their belts, students have found themselves back in the never-ending cycle of new information, homework and tests. Fortunately, the upcoming week of Homecoming festivities promises to break up the monotony and alleviate scholarly stress. Homecoming week starts on Monday, October 5 and ends with the much anticipated dance on Saturday, October 10. Although DECA will be running the event this year, supervisor Nicole Peterson has attempted to maintain many of the elements of previous years.

"We want to add more incentives to participate, but still keep the great traditions that have made it successful in past years," she said.

Other school organizations will be working with DECA to accomplish the substantial undertaking of Homecoming.

"We are teaming up with FANS, O'Neil National Honor Society, and my marketing management classes," she said.

The involvement of various clubs is hoped to increase participation in all of the week's activities. Peterson's marketing management classes in particular are at the core of Homecoming planning this year.

"This is where the center of the project is. Students are assigned to be in charge of a certain aspect to get other students involved," explained Peterson.

So far, Peterson's plan seems to be working well. The involvement of marketing management classes included a wide variety of students. The number of students involved created a plethora of ideas regarding the specifics of Homecoming.

"We brainstormed at our first advisory meeting and had about four or five different ideas and catchy slogans," Peterson said.

Seniors Calla Schultz and Torie Donker are marketing management students who have contributed to Homecoming planning. Like many students involved, the two felt it was important to decide on a theme that would encompass all elements of Homecoming.

"We really wanted this year's theme for the dance to tie in with the game," said the seniors.

Because of this, the theme for the week will be "Check the Stats, Bet on the Cats." With this theme in mind, DECA proceeded to plan out the events of the week. On top of the activity list was a student favorite, powder-puff football.

"We are continuing with powder-puff football and hopefully some entertaining guy activities," Peterson said.

Schultz and Donker also had some clever ideas regarding the promotion of male participation.

"We really want to have a guy's volleyball tournament; it would be hilarious," they said.

In addition to new activities, Peterson hopes that incentives will boost participation.

"There will be more chances to win prizes by getting involved," she said.

The Homecoming committee is also pushing for more community involvement. Although student participation vital for this event, the community will play a key role in making the pregame activities more compelling.

"Our goal is to try and make the parade and tailgate bigger and better this year," said Peterson.

The first step Peterson's classes took to make this possible was getting the Festival Foods motorized cart in the parade. Schultz and Donker believe this will be a crowd pleaser.

"The cart is going to make the parade a lot more interesting," they said.

Community involvement is hoped to boost the excitement of those involved in the parade as well.

"We want more community and business involvement, so when you're in the parade, there'll actually be people lined up to wave at you," Peterson said.

Students are encouraged to get involved by entering a float or any kind of decorated automobile into the parade. With its increase in community involvement and fresh ideas, this year's event aims for success. All of those involved in planning the event have high hopes for the week.

"I really want this to be the best Homecoming ever, especially since it's our senior year," said Schultz.

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