Harriton’s first-ever Homecoming has just concluded and has the entire school buzzing with excitement. Even on just the first day of sales, the ticket booth was overwhelmed, indicating early on that it was going to be the event of the year. The energy did not stop there; with every spirit day, students got more and more excited as the date crept closer. Dresses were ordered. Outfits were planned out to detailed perfection. Proposals and plans to go with others were made. And it seemed like everyone in the school planned on attending. So what was the big deal about this dance? No other event (at least in recent Harriton history) has garnered such positive interest. 

First, there was an entire pep rally was dedicated to homecoming, and the school’s excitement levels definitely jumped after seeing Latin Club’s iconic (as always) performance, along with the spirit that every other team brought to the floor. 

In part, the profuse anticipation can also be explained by the dance taking place on Halloween weekend. Initially, many were saddened that Halloween fell on a Monday this year, worried that there would be little activity as a result. It seemed very disheartening to try and have a fun Halloween knowing that a “school day” was looming over it. Just in time, the dance swooped in to save the day! The Homecoming Dance allowed everyone to do something fun with friends on Halloween Weekend. People got ready together, took classic photos with friends, and enjoyed the night along with the rest of the school.

Because a traditional homecoming is new to Harriton, the event amplified years of pent up anticipation and eagerness throughout the entire school. For years, it has been said that Harriton’s students have not measured up to Lower Merion in terms of school spirit. This is partially because Harriton lacked a dance earlier in the year for everyone to enjoy, despite the student body’s insistence. This is the year that everything changed. This is the year that nearly 1,000 tickets were sold for Harriton’s first Homecoming Dance. However, this brought up some concerns, mainly as to how this event would work with so many students in attendance. 

Almost as soon as our current Student Council officials were elected at the very end of last year, they vowed to make Homecoming happen. They kept their promise. Student Council put their all into making this event memorable, from sashes for the Homecoming Court to tables full of food, photo booths to gorgeous decorations hanging from the ceiling, an energetic DJ to caricature drawings – they did it all and did it well! Finally, an amazing decision on their part was designating the courtyard, filled with comfortable seating and bushes adorned with delicate fairy lights, to be an inviting area for students to relax and watch the Phillies World Series game on a blow-up movie screen. Let’s be real – not everyone wants to dance in a crowded cafeteria, and that’s okay. This inclusive option helped to make Homecoming enjoyable for all students, providing everyone with a place to go and something fun to do. Overall, Harriton’s first Homecoming was a massive success!