Homecoming 2024 is an exciting time for EHS students.
“It gives people a chance to interact with people they normally wouldn’t. It also gives the freshman a sense of excitement that there are a lot of fun things to do in high school,” said senior Ada Brown.
The spirited week kicks-off Saturday, September 7, 2024, with Hallway decorating. This is when separate classes, 9-12, decorate sections of the school to reflect the homecoming theme, “Meet Me at Midnight,” For many students, it’s a great way to kick off the school year, “I can’t wait for homecoming week,” said La Marr Sykes (25)
Searching the library archives, a yearbook page from a 1946 Englewood annum, shows a calendar of sorts that includes October 28 as the date of Orpheum performances. This is believed to be the start of Homecoming traditions at EHS. Orpheum performances were a vaudeville tradition including games, performances, and dances.
If we count this date as the beginning, this year would mark 78 years of Homecoming activities.
Homecoming is an annual tradition in the United States. People, towns, high schools and colleges come together, usually in late September or early October, to welcome back former members of the community. It is always built around a central event, such as a banquet or dance and, most often, a game of football. The football game is played on a school’s home football field, activities for students and alumni, a parade featuring the school’s choir, marching band and sports teams, and the coronation of a homecoming queen (and at many schools, a homecoming king). A dance commonly follows the game or takes place the day after the game.
Students at Englewood High School poured out onto the front lawn to paint flags and show school spirit, “The memories last forever,” said Makenna Keoppel (25). For the two weeks ahead of Homecoming week, seminar classes decide on a slogan, colors, and a design for their flag. Students will carry their flag during the assembly.
For EHS seniors, flag painting is tradition, “I like it because they enjoy thinking about names and designs, and then the flag shows who belongs with who during assemblies,” said Kai Robb (25′). The tradition dates back several decades at Englewood High School and gives a sense of belonging to Seminar classes. Flag painting started on August 28, during Seminar time.
Flag painting on the front lawn of EHS is the first official activity of Homecoming Week. Students look forward to the events, “Homecoming week always gets people excited,” said Crystal Santos (25), “I’m intrigued to see how spirit week turns out,” said Kimberly Montes (26).
For others, it is one event, “I can’t wait for the Homecoming football game,” said Albert Goorman (25), “I’m most excited about the football game and the school spirit,” said Aspen Loebig (25), “I’m excited about homecoming,” said Bella Rose (28).
The concept is simple: come to school in a white T-shirt with a white lie written in bold, black letters on the front. Students at EHS stepped up their game and came up with unique sayings. Tall students wrote, “I’m 4′ 11”, while smaller students wrote, “I’m 6’4”.
Frat Bro, Tennis Pro and Average Joe, Wild West, and Princess, Superbowl, and Rock and Roll. Students and staff came up with creative rhymes for this unusual dress-up day.
The weather was beautiful as the teams took to the field on the Wednesday during Homecoming week. This is the annual Powderpuff football game pitting upperclassmen against the underclassmen. The game is coached by football players on the EHS roster. In the end, the senior-junior team won 26-6. Boys dress as cheerleaders and learn cheers, chants and stunts supporting the players. Photos by Sophia Savoy
For decades, EHS students have stood around a raging fire on the grounds of the school to celebrate Homecoming. This year was no exception as the Denver Fire Department doused the piles of wood with kerosene and lit the 2024 bonfire. The band played the fight song and the crowd basked in the light.
Thursday of Homecoming was a day of celebration. Students boarded buses for the annual parade around Englewood elementary and middle schools. Students in clubs and activities hype up the rest of the district and get students excited about high school Homecoming activities. Then, when the parade returns to EHS, it’s time for the pep assembly. Students chant the school fight song and play games.
There was a large crowd on hand for the annual Homecoming football game against Littleton on the Friday of Homecoming week. The Pirates put on a stellar show with a solid win 63-0. The homecoming court was presented during halftime and Naomi Vazquez and Joe Carter were crowned Royals.
Homecoming Court 2024
Freshmen
Carolina Chavez
Baylor Kaaz
Sophomores
Isabelle Bouchard
Daniel Cullin
Juniors
Violet Cuenca Fregoso
Maile Manfre
Dylan Noll
Thomas Theis
Seniors
Joe Carter
Sarah Claveria
Nana Essel-Arhinful
Brookelyn McCann
Joseph McMains
Naomi Vazquez
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