by Dani Tsao, Katie Lee, Ryan Park, and Milan Riley

On November 1st, the East Valley and Science Academy high schools joined together to kick off our Homecoming weekend fun with a pep rally. The gym was filled with excitement and laughter as everyone waited in anticipation for the event to start. It began with an introduction of our Falcon fall and winter sports teams, finishing off with the football players roaring out their chants to get everyone’s spirits high. The dance and cheer team then performed, and the stands went wild with clapping and screaming. The pep rally ended with some exciting games of tug of war, which wound up with people scattered on the floor laughing.

A homecoming game is a nearly century-old tradition that instills school spirit within the students, bringing them closer as they celebrate their school’s history and achievements. Our homecoming game this year exemplified this idea perfectly. At 7:00 pm, the football game against Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies (SOCES) started off with an exhilarating 50+ yard touchdown on the first play of the game by Chris, an East Valley senior. The stands went crazy and everyone was cheering as Chris broke through multiple tackles all the way to the end zone. This excitement continued when we were able to get a goal-line stop on one of SOCES possessions and score another touchdown, giving us a 6 point lead after the first quarter. During the second quarter, SOCES caught up, keeping the game tight and exciting, ending the half ahead by 22-20.

During half time, a Homecoming parade with the fall and winter sports teams took place. The parade was filled with screaming and excitement as all of the athletes enjoyed acknowledging the crowd’s appreciation as they walked and drove around the field.

Starting the second half, SOCES began the competition by scoring a quick touchdown. But we answered back fast by scoring a passing touchdown from starting quarterback Boaz Yu to tight end Kunwoo Lee, both Science Academy seniors. This kept the excitement in the stands and increased the tension of the game as we were only two points behind. During the fourth quarter, a few false starts unfortunately set us back, and SOCES was able to extend their lead. However, until the end of the game, the stands were filled with excitement as chants and cheers from the cheerleaders kept the energy high. Although we lost this game, the journey continues in the playoffs where our Falcon team will be hosting their first home playoff game since 2017!

To complete 2024’s Homecoming weekend was the memorable HoCo dance on Saturday, November 2nd, a highly-anticipated collaboration between the East Valley and Science Academy student bodies. Starting at 7 pm, attendees were first greeted by intricately decorated tables beneath overarching bouquets. Friend groups and couples were welcome to take cute pictures at the photo booth, which offered numerous props such as masquerade masks and crowns. Elsewhere, guests were drawn to the dance floor by its central position and strobing disco lights. Even under the unexpected rain, hit song after hit song from a professional DJ kept everyone hyped! A perfect mix of formal and fun, guests in suits and dresses indulged in Dave’s Hot Chicken—a classic fan favorite provided by the organizers—to fuel their epic dance moves. The conclusion of this event was the announcement of the Homecoming Court (pictured below), leaving students with only one complaint—that we wish we could’ve danced all night long!