When looking around the hallways of WHS during the week of Sept. 10, one may notice students dressed up in beach gear, twinning with a teacher or wearing clothes from decades ago. All of these students are participating in the Homecoming spirit week in hopes to win a ticket to the dance. However, if one looks closer, they would find that behind all the spirit days, the parade and the Homecoming dance, a class of 22 juniors and seniors have been working diligently to make this Homecoming week different from previous years.

“This year, the whole student spirit week has really taken off, and I think it’s on the forefront of everybody,” Leadership teacher Samantha Loepker said. “I think there is more participation and more spirit.”

In addition to the spirit days, the Leadership class planned the Homecoming parade that traveled through downtown Washington. Over 30 floats represented clubs, sports and classes.

“I think it was a hit,” senior Jennifer Borgmann said. “There was a lot of people, and I think everyone did what they were supposed to do.”

One Homecoming week tradition was discontinued this year after a vote by the Leadership class.

“We got rid of the bonfire just because it has just been going downhill the last couple of years,” senior Kamryn Mitchell said. “No one really shows up. It’s too much work to just have a couple people there, so we just threw it out the window.”

Besides the Wednesday bonfire being discontinued, Leadership has also changed another Homecoming tradition. In previous years, the dance would have been immediately after the Friday night football game.

“We changed it to a Saturday not to be like other people but to give football players, band, cheer, dancers the opportunity to get ready with their friends just like any other ordinary dance,” Mitchell said. “Also, we noticed that more people aren’t at the Homecoming game because they are out too busy getting ready.”

The Leadership class, along with Student Council, have worked hard to make the 2018 Homecoming different and better from previous years. If WHS students want to get involved in the 2019 Homecoming planning and other Student Council events, visit Room 2505 for more information.

“Definitely join Student Council and get involved through those activities because the Leadership class is an application class and being an active student council member is kind of what we are looking for,” Loepker said. “Get involved early…just put yourself out there and take some chances.”