Homecoming. The epitome of the high school experience. A quad full of students walking to class with elaborate costumes and relentless enthusiasm. A crowded gymnasium donned in neon green. A roaring student section that echoes across campus. What is more defining of one’s high school years than this unity, coming together with friends, classmates, teachers, coaches— the entire school community— to celebrate each other’s accomplishments, commitment, and school spirit? 

For Upper School students, Homecoming festivities began on Wednesday, with the first dress-down day of the week: Neon Day. Students dressed in tutus, sunglasses, cowboy hats, and construction vests, as a sea of neon yellow, pink, and orange filled the US halls. Mr. Gyves even sported a neon green hoodie, which made him easy to spot as he gave a rousing Homecoming speech during morning assembly.

Thursday’s theme was an old classic: Bikers vs. Surfers. Inspired by the Disney Channel Original Teen Beach Movie, students came dressed in black leather jackets, tropical shirts, red bandanas, and bucket hats. Film Club hosted a special screening of the feature film during BPL: “We wanted to get people hyped for Homecoming,” Film Club president Sophie Preston said. “And Teen Beach Movie is such an iconic film.”

Finally, on Friday, students took their spirit to the next level with Draco Goes to Beach. In a mesmerizing mix of green-out attire and beach wear, students wore board shirts and Cooper tees, shark costumes and football jerseys, and swim goggles and green grass skirts. Hundreds of neon green flower necklaces covered the campus.

The main event of the day was the Homecoming Pep Rally in the Dunlap Gym. All three divisions filled the stands and crowded around the cheer mat in the center of the room, as colorful balloon displays, palm tree pool floaties, and dragon inner tubes brought the beach to the basketball court. Throughout the event, MS and US band performed songs like September by Earth, Wind & Fire, keeping everyone in the room on their feet and in their feels. Varsity Cheer kicked off the fun with a spirited performance, before senior hosts Maggie Flinn and Robbie Macaul took the mic. Spectators were entertained by a variety of activities, including inner tube ring toss, where Lower Schoolers tried to toss inner tubes over Varsity athletes’ heads, and limbo, where each division battled it out to see just how low they could go. Finally, the cheerleaders returned to the stage, surf boards in hand, to dance it out to a compilation of songs from Teen Beach Movie. “It was very different from anything we’d done before, because we had more props than we’d ever had before to incorporate into our routine,” Varsity cheerleader Mason Wagner said. “Because two of our flyers got hurt, it was stressful, but nothing beats the feeling of finishing the routine.”

Later that afternoon, pre-game festivities were well under way hours before kickoff. The annual Alumni Tailgate was hosted on the 3rd floor of the Rock Math & Science Center, while face-painting, poster-making, arcade games, and mechanical shark riding took place in the parking lot. Student volunteers from NAHS and Interact helped facilitate the fun: “I checked people in and got to hand out necklaces,” Interact Events Chair Elizabeth Askin recalled. “I really feel like everyone was unified and helped cultivate more spirit!” The stands were packed for the 7pm kickoff, a crowd that the Dragons did not disappoint, as they went on to defeat the Oakridge Owls 60-3.

On Saturday night, Upper School students attended the Beach Ball, and danced the night away. Thanks to a student volunteer decorating committee, the Sims Student Center was decked out with surfboards, flower petals, and shark fins galore. Chaperones sported lifeguard shirts while sitting in tall lifeguard chairs, and thematic snacks were served. 

Overall, Homecoming was a spirited success. Suffice to say, the Dragons had a (beach) ball.

Gallery • 6 Photos

Caroline Dylewski