Homecoming at Wilsonville is an annual tradition that welcomes the incoming ninth graders and celebrates the return of former students. Homecoming events are extended over the course of a couple of weeks before the most anticipated event, the homecoming dance! The events prior to the dance include spirit week, assemblies, and the homecoming floats. 

Each year, the Sophomore class is responsible for selecting the theme for the floats. This year, the Sophomores choose seasons. Each grade will display a different season on their float. Aysha Marin, Junior class president, explains that the presidents for each grade held a meeting to determine what season their class would represent.

Marin states that each theme is established by seniority. “The Senior president, Ruby, got first pick, and she chose fall.  I chose summer, and the Sophomore class president chose winter.”  This left the Freshman class with spring as their theme. 

At first glance, planning, decorating, and participating in the homecoming floats seems highly enjoyable and time-consuming. Marin describes how many hours are involved in the construction of the float. She adds, “It takes a lot of teamwork, construction, knowing the tools, and knowing how to put pieces together.”

Despite this, both Marin and Sophomore class president Sydney Hanson are eager to decorate the floats. Along with decorating the floats, each member on the float must be in costume. Marin notes, “While you’re on the float, you have to be in character.” Although both didn’t want to spoil the float costumes and decorations until the parade, she mentioned how they would represent their themes on the float by depicting different activities, attire, and weather during their assigned season. 

In summary, the homecoming float is an essential part of the annual homecoming celebration. As engaging and entertaining as it can be, it also takes many hours of construction, deliberation, and planning, which contribute to its success.