SEARCY, AR (LP) — Every fall students look forward to the yearly homecoming ceremonies. Nearly as soon as school starts, clubs are scrambling to vote on which senior girl they believe should represent their organization as their sweetheart. Once sweethearts have been chosen, it’s their responsibility to select a senior boy to escort them in the homecoming ceremony. Being chosen to represent your club in the ceremony is always a great honor, regardless if you are the sweetheart or the escort. The homecoming ceremony is such a celebrated event that sweethearts, and escorts are excused from class in order to get ready for the decorous event.
Although they are given time to get ready for the ceremony on the day of, many sweethearts and escorts are preparing weeks in advance for the ceremony. Escorts have to go out and either buy or rent a suit, and sweethearts (on top of getting two separate dresses for the PAC and the stadium) find people willing to do their hair and makeup the day of homecoming. Katherine Peters, a senior at SHS and the Band sweetheart, informed us of the amount of work it takes to prepare for homecoming, “A lot of girls will schedule for someone to do their hair and makeup weeks in advance in preparation for the ceremony because if they wait until a few days before everyone may already be booked up.” Homecoming is one of the most formal events of senior year, with Searcy students encouraged to dress up even if they aren’t a part of the festivities. Katherine Peters elaborated on the effect of everyone dressing up, “When everyone participates in the event by dressing up it kind of makes being a part of the ceremony feel even more special.”
Not only are there sweethearts and escorts, but one of the most celebrated parts of homecoming is the election of our homecoming court royalty. Our homecoming royalty are elected by our football team and are presented after all the sweethearts have been honored. At the homecoming assembly at school they are escorted by members of the football team, and at the stadium they are escorted by their family.
Jessica Rose, our homecoming queen this year, has expressed her excitement to be such a large part of the ceremony, “I just feel very honored to have been selected as our homecoming queen, and I can’t wait to attend the assembly and ceremony.”
Homecoming also marks a major event for any students senior year, as it is one of the final home football games in the season and is in celebration of the senior class. Jessica Rose conveyed what Homecoming meant to her as a senior, “Knowing that this is going to be our last homecoming at Searcy High means a lot to me and has made me realize what a big part of these last four years Friday night football games have been to me.”
We invite all Searcy students to join us in celebrating the seniors and the Searcy Lions Friday October 4th at our homecoming ceremony both at the PAC, and at the football game that night!
