Ah, homecoming. The famous fall night we associate with football, friends, and fun, but most importantly, high school. It seems synonymous with American high school nowadays; however, when tracing back the homecoming tradition, a college campus is its birthplace. Although it’s still up for debate, the University of Missouri has the strongest claim to fame for being the pioneers of homecoming. It all started in 1911, when alumni of the college were invited back to the campus for the annual football game against rival University of Kansas. Rallies and parades soon followed in becoming important components to the tradition.
High schools soon followed suit, ramping up the voltage with week-long festivities, expensive parades, homecoming court, and dances. Homecoming, over the past century, has become integral in high school social life, almost becoming a rite of passage.
Some high schools take school dances to the extreme, with expensive tickets to compensate for the extravagancy. Floats, red carpets, professional music, food, and decorations model A-list events. This theme, partnered by the need of many students to acquire a date, makes homecoming a noise-filled, stress inducing time. Although this may paint a chaotic picture, many students wish for the highly anticipated event to come sooner. Attending these high school events creates the feeling of inclusion and immersion in the “high school experience.”
Through the many divisions that separate students in America, events like these bring them together. It is deep rooted in teen American culture that homecoming, prom, and other dances is a staple--so much so, that foreign teenagers become fascinated with the idea of such events occurring multiple times a year, every year in America.
So join in on the historic tradition bringing millions of teenagers together and come to the 2016 Abington Heights Homecoming on October 15th from 8-11 pm!
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