Last Saturday, Lakota West had its annual Homecoming dance. West’s football field became a carnival for the night. Although the dance was pushed back to 7:30 due to rain, the dance went on, adorned with balloons and a DJ, and ended with a sky full of fireworks. 

Homecoming week entailed spirit week and a football game against West Clermont. West’s student body pulled out all the stops during spirit week, from wearing Lakota East spirit wear and clown costumes for Carnival day to West teachers fashioning our players’ jerseys. To top these festivities, Lakota West had a spectacular win against West Clermont, beating them 45-7. 

Some controversy followed the Homecoming dance this year as well. With Lakota trying to prevent the spread of COVID, West’s homecoming dance was moved from the gym to the football field. The West Press asked our student body their thoughts on the location move, the early date of the dance, and the optional mask announcement. Most students stated that they wish the dance was later. With the move to the football field, students stated the heat would be an issue and that they would be “sticky and hot.” The move also made many students feel as if we were “unprepared.” The West Press went into a few classrooms, asking students to raise their hand if they were planning on wearing a mask. Zero students raised their hands. Even though the lead-up to the dance made a lot of students skeptical, once the sun went down on Firebird Field, it felt in the moment to be a sort of normal Homecoming. 

Thank you to the teachers and staff that made Homecoming possible this year!