Rory Patterson
Staff Writer
It’s been three years, but the Alexandria City Homecoming Dance is back! Taking place on Saturday, November 5 at the St. James in Springfield, the Homecoming Dance will be from 8-10:50 p.m. The St. James is an athletic center that has many large, indoor sports facilities, including a 110,000 square foot indoor field where the dance will take place. Although, given its location, the dance will be different from the Homecomings of the past, the St. James provides a much-needed increase in space and ventilation.
The last few AC homecomings have been crammed, hot and rather chaotic due to the number of attendees and the size of the gym. It was necessary to find a larger venue. But even the enormous St. James is not able to safely accommodate the entire population of ACHS. This means that ticket availability will be limited. In order to guarantee that as many ACHS students who want to attend have the ability to do so, guests from outside of the school will not be allowed into the dance. Tickets, $25 each, will be on sale from October 31 through November 4 at 5 p.m. (or until the last ticket has been sold) and can only be purchased through the Hometown Fan app. Food will not be provided at the dance, but there will be a DJ and plenty of space to dance and relax. Water stations will also be available.
News that there would be a 2022 Homecoming Dance was greeted with mixed feelings of enthusiasm and uncertainty by AC students.
Junior Afefa Imani was surprised to learn that there was going to be a dance, but was happy to see that people were excited about it. As for her own attendance, she explained that “I’m unsure if I’m going to the dance at the moment because I really don’t know what to expect when going to a school dance since COVID has canceled all of them for me.”
Lydia Newcomb-Widmer, a sophomore, was more definite about her attendance. “I’m planning to go to the dance. It’s not something that’s up my alley, but I think it’s such a crucial part of the high school experience, so I want to go at least once.” Because of COVID, neither the Sophomore nor the Junior Class has experienced a dance at ACHS, unless they were taken as guests to the 2021 Prom. The 2022 Homecoming Dance will be the first time many Titans have the opportunity to experience a school dance.
All of the students who were interviewed expressed a certain level of either gratitude for or understanding of why the dance is taking place off campus but also acknowledged the challenges it presents for some students. Sophomore Class Vice President Malcolm Myrick explained, “I think that the dance not taking place at school is necessary for safety but I don’t think that it helps in terms of attendance and accessibility.”
Senior Sachsen Belinsky felt that having the homecoming dance in a venue other than school “was a great idea, especially since we have capacity issues, but not being able to bring guests kinda sucks.” The upcoming dance has brought the immensity of the ACHS population into the light for many people as even an 110,000 square foot indoor field isn’t big enough for the student population, let alone the attendance of guests. Students also expressed both understanding and concern about the $25 price tag per ticket. Newcomb-Widmer explained, “I understand why the fee is so high because it’s an off campus event, but I think the price is a little steep.” Both the cost of tickets and the location of the event present challenges and benefits.
Adib Sakar, a graduate of the Titan Class of 2022, reflected on his experience at school dances and their importance in his early days of high school and at the end of his Senior year, saying, “I do think dances are one of the ways to build community and get to know each other, as well as help exchange cultures.” Events like the Homecoming Dance and football game are a time for students to unite as Titans and stand together as a community.
The excitement in the air is undeniable; perhaps a normal high school experience is finally on the horizon for ACHS students. And to the Titans hesitant to attend, listen to SGA president Miracle Gross: “The high school experience is what you make it! Yes, you will go through some unconventional and unexpected hardships, but participating in school activities has made my whole high school experience a lot more enjoyable! Clear your head, have fun, be safe, and make memories! See you all there.”
