For many parents, Homecoming Week has a way of bringing back memories. Watching their children plan outfits for spirit days, get ready for the big game, or prepare for the dance can stir up recollections of their own high school years. The music has changed, well, some of it has changed, the fashions certainly have, and some of the traditions may look a little different, but the excitement surrounding Homecoming remains familiar.
Last week, families across the 98848 had another opportunity to experience those traditions through a new generation of students. From elementary school pajama days and crazy hair to the burning of the giant Q at Jackrabbit Stadium, the Quincy School District celebrated Homecoming with a week of school spirit, football, and festivities. For Quincy High School freshmen, it was their first experience with high school Homecoming. For seniors, it was their last.
A Little Silliness Across the District
Homecoming Week wasn’t limited to Quincy High School. Students throughout the Quincy School District participated in themed spirit days, bringing a little extra creativity, and occasionally some questionable fashion choices, into classrooms across the community.
Monday started with pajama day at the high school and several elementary schools. Ancient Lakes Elementary celebrated “Freaky Monday,” with students dressing like teachers and teachers dressing like students. At Quincy Middle School, students were encouraged to dress like Adam Sandler, trading their usual school clothes for the actor’s signature oversized, baggy outfits.
Tuesday brought Twin Day to the high school and several elementary schools, while middle school students chose between dressing like a BBQ dad or a soccer mom. Elsewhere, students showed up with crazy hairstyles, favorite hats, and outfits inspired by Lilo & Stitch.
The creativity continued through the middle of the week with Disney characters, Toy Story costumes, career day outfits, and clothing inspired by the emotions from Inside Out. At Quincy High School, Wednesday was Class Colors Day, with freshmen wearing gray, sophomores yellow, juniors purple, seniors pink, and staff members green.
By Thursday, the high school had shifted to the traditional green and gold. Friday’s “Stars in the Sky” theme had seniors dressed in white, while underclassmen and staff wore black. Across the rest of the district, Friday was Green and Gold Day, giving students from kindergarten through middle school a chance to finish the week showing their Jackrabbit pride.
Bringing Homecoming Into the Community
Quincy High School cheerleaders encouraged local businesses to join the celebration by decorating storefronts, windows, and offices in green and gold. Businesses were invited to share photographs of their decorations for the cheerleading and football programs to feature on social media.
There were no prizes or formal judging, just an invitation to participate in the week’s festivities.
“No contest. No judging. Just Jackrabbit pride and bragging rights!” the cheerleaders wrote in their announcement.
The community involvement extended to Friday night’s celebration at Jackrabbit Stadium with a lot of students, parents, friends, alumni and community members showing up in their proper green and gold. The cheerleading program recognized the assistance of Grant County Fire, the City of Quincy, Alpha Pyrotechnics, district maintenance staff, school administrators, and numerous teachers and volunteers who helped coordinate the evening.
Students from the school’s leadership program, band, choir, dance, cheerleading, cross country, color guard, and other organizations also contributed to the festivities.
Friday Night Lights, Royalty, and a Burning Q
Friday evening brought the traditional Homecoming football game, with Quincy hosting the Grandview Greyhounds at Jackrabbit Stadium. The wind was nasty, cold and our Jacks showed up with everything they had. Fans crowded together under blankets and heavy coats to cheer on the Jacks.
The Jacks were unable to get on the scoreboard, falling to Grandview 24–0. While the game didn’t produce the result Quincy fans had hoped for, it was just one piece to a much bigger celebration throughout the evening. The evening included several of the school’s most recognizable Homecoming traditions.
During halftime, Homecoming royalty representing each high school class rode past the stands as students, families, and community members watched. The presentation was followed by the annual burning of the giant Q, a longstanding Quincy Homecoming ritual.
As the large letter burned, students in the stands participated in the school’s Color Toss, sending clouds of green and yellow powder into the air. The colorful display added another layer to the halftime celebration, with the school’s colors briefly filling the space above the student section.
The Quincy High School band, cheerleaders, and dance team followed with performances, entertaining the crowd and giving students another opportunity to showcase their talents in front of the hometown audience before the Jacks returned to the field for the second half.
The festivities continued after the final whistle, when a large fireworks display lit up the sky above Jackrabbit Stadium as friends and families came down to the field to meet their players. The show brought Friday night’s celebration to a close, capping an evening that required considerable coordination among school staff, student groups, and community partners.
A City of Stars and a Little Footloose
Saturday evening brought the final major event of Homecoming Week as Quincy High School students gathered for the annual dance. This year’s theme, “City of Stars,” provided the setting for an evening of music, friends, and the familiar experience of a high school dance.
Not everyone spent the night dancing. As is often the case at school dances, plenty of students were content to sit with friends and enjoy the evening from the sidelines. There was a game board area available for those looking for a little something different. There was some line dancing, however, and one particular song reportedly had a group of students ready to get back on their feet.
When Footloose came on, students involved in Quincy High School’s production of the musical last spring recognized an opportunity to bring back some familiar choreography and were quickly joined by others in the music program as well.
The dance had already traveled beyond the school stage. Students shared it during Farmer Consumer Awareness Day and again at a recent barn dance hosted by the Quincy Valley Historical Society. Saturday’s Homecoming dance offered another opportunity to put those moves to use, bringing a little piece of last spring’s musical into this fall’s celebration.
Whether they danced, played games or just hung out, there were a lot of smiles coming out the door after the dance, even with the cold wind. It was a fitting conclusion to a week filled with student activities, performances, and traditions, with one more familiar song connecting students through something they had experienced together. One thing is for sure; memories were made that will last years beyond last week.
Another Homecoming in the Books
By Monday morning, the costumes and decorations were being put away, the football field had gone quiet, and students were returning to their regular school routines. The final score against Grandview will remain part of the football season’s record, but Homecoming Week included considerably more than what happened between the sidelines.
For some students, the highlights may have been the spirit days or the excitement of participating in their first high school Homecoming. Others will remember the royalty presentation, the burning Q, the Color Toss, or performing in front of the crowd at Jackrabbit Stadium. And for at least a few students, hearing Footloose at Saturday’s dance may have been one of the week’s more entertaining moments.
For parents who remember their own Homecoming celebrations, watching another generation take part in those traditions offers a familiar reminder of how quickly the school years pass. The freshmen experiencing these events for the first time will be seniors before long, preparing for their own final Homecoming.
For another year, Homecoming brought a little silliness, plenty of green and gold, and a full week of activities to schools across the 98848. The music and fashions may change, but the traditions continue, giving each new class of Jackrabbits a chance to make the experience their own.
