On the morning of Oct. 22, while many students were getting beauty rest before Homecoming, the Student Council Association (SCA) came to school at 8 a.m. to start setting up for the rest of the school to enjoy the dance.  The event allowed students to enjoy food and games, take photos at a photo booth, hang out with friends, and join the party created by DJ Mario. The SCA was responsible for setting up the event, turning the main entrance, cafeteria, and gym into the main attractions. 

Preparations for Homecoming started at 8 a.m., and continued until 2 p.m.. The theme for Homecoming this year was “A Night in the Cities.” To start, SCA moved the hallway decorations each grade made to the main entrance. Themes of Paris, Tokyo, New York, and Las Vegas were combined to form a glittering walkway that represented each grade’s hard work over the course of Homecoming week. 

Last year, SCA held the dance outside because of COVID concerns.  This year, the city setup stretched inside the school. Junior Naolee Majonnen, an SCA member, helped to to set up decorations in the library walls by taking decorations from the grade-level hallway decoration competition.. “Each grade [was given] a different city, so each library wall is going to be a different city,” Majonnen said “We just really want it to be based around the theme, getting decorations, and colors for a matching color scheme so that nothing looks out of place.” Tapestries and other decorations showed the main themes of each city: hanging planes that traveled through each of them, lanterns to represent Tokyo, dice and slot machines for Las Vegas, arches for Paris, and tall skyscrapers for New York.

After the main entrance was completed, SCA decorated the cafeteria. Tables throughout the room were adorned with tablecloths and lights, while a large row of tables that lined the back were used as a snack and drink stand. A miniature cardboard replica of the Eiffel Tower that the sophomores, led by sophomore Ginny McGee, had created was placed near the front for all to see. Lights were wrapped around the Eiffel Tower, tables, and the room as a whole to give a calming atmosphere to those outside the dance floor.

The gym was transformed into the star attraction of Homecoming: the dance floor. The bleachers were pushed back to give space for a crowd. A photo booth was positioned in the back of the gym to give students a chance to get a memento of this occasion. The middle of the gym had a large rubber mat placed on the ground for the dance floor. Lastly, the DJ booth was equipped with lights, speakers, and everything needed to make this night in the cities something students will never forget. 

Sophomore Dorsa Baghaei enjoyed that the dance was held inside. “I just like the amount of space we had [this year on the dance floor], because last year we were outside and there was not enough space [at the dance],” Baghaei said.

Tickets for Homecoming started at $20, before increasing to $25 as the dance date approached. The SCA sold 1250 tickets in total, and around 1200 people attended the dance.  For freshman class’s first Homecoming, the event came with newfound excitement about getting ready, dancing with their friends, and singing to their favorite songs. Freshman Laya Lyun had an “iconic time” dancing with friends and she thinks that events like homecoming are great to connect the student body together and “make sure that everyone has a great time.”

Even guests not attending Rock Ridge enjoyed the event and loved the SCA’s decoration. Former Phoenix and current sophomore at Independence High School Mokshita Mannan came to homecoming at Rock Ridge with Phoenix friends and loved seeing the school again and being able to experience homecoming here. “It was amazing, the music was great, all the organization, all the snacks, everything was amazing,” Mannan said.“I really loved it!”

Gallery • 9 Photos

James Bowles

Junior Adith Pashya plays with Jenga Blocks in the corner of the cafeteria. The SCA set up the extra large Jenga Blocks with other games, like a life-sized Chess game for people to have fun with as a break from dancing.