GOA High School Student Council hosted the school’s first-ever Homecoming dance this winter with high school students gathering on-campus to dance the night away.
The dance, accompanied by an action-packed Spirit Week, was a huge success according to students and faculty.
Junior Violet Berman, Student Council’s Director of Communications, said, “The event was so successful because the student council listened carefully to student feedback, which helped drive the majority of the high school class to homecoming.”
In preparation for the event, the upper school’s Ulam was transformed with neon decorations to fit the theme of “Glow in the Dark”. The DJ, along with food and drinks, kept energy high on Homecoming night.
Faculty chaperones also shared their enthusiasm for the dance before Homecoming.
“The whole point of the experience for students is to have fun, mingle and get to know one another,” said Mr. Hefetz, the Language Arts Department Head.
He continued, “Unlike prom, which is restricted to just juniors and seniors, Homecoming gives the entire high school a chance to come together. Establishing a tradition like this positively helps GOA students by making them feel more connected to the broader suburban high school experience.”
Sophomore Eloise Goldberg said, “Homecoming was very fun, and it brought the whole school together, unlike prom. It made me really feel the close-knit community we have at GOA.”
The Student Council’s Spirit Week, with themes such as tailgate, Adam Sandler Day and Pajama Day, was an engaging way for students to follow this Homecoming tradition. Seeing the entire GOA community dress up for Spirit Week brought fun and energy all week long.
“Dressing up every day of the week built up so much energy and excitement for the dance,” said junior Max Lefkowitz.
The day before homecoming, students filled the gym to support the GOA boys’ basketball team in the action-packed game against West Side High School. Despite the team’s loss, the game built major excitement for Homecoming Night.
Some students’ opinions were mixed going into Homecoming. Many were excited for the fun opportunity, while others questioned the location.
Junior Jude Ornstein said, “Homecoming is going to be a great experience for me to have fun with friends outside of the school environment. Although I wish it were held somewhere else, I am looking forward to some nice music, good vibes, and good attitudes.”
Others thought the event could’ve been more cohesive and designed for socializing.
Senior Amber Fulop described the event as “divided,” with “all of the boys standing on one side and girls on the other.”
To encourage student bonding, other schools have been known to take unconventional approaches with more structured events. For example, Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland sponsors events intended to unite each grade leading up to homecoming.
“The school runs Battle of the Classes, where representatives from each grade do an obstacle course with things like knockout and tug of war. It’s a lot of fun to cheer my classmates on together,” said Whitman student Josie Mayo.
Now, GOA students are hoping this is the first of many homecoming dances to come.
One thing that makes Goa special is the relationships formed between students and teachers, which were fully displayed on Thursday night. Throughout the event, faculty and students danced together, reinforcing the sense of community at GOA.
