It’s no secret that homecoming is a big deal on campus. It only happens once a year, and the exciting traditions make the week a favorite amongst many students. But has Campo’s homecoming always been as it is now? Surely the celebration has evolved with the times.
“A lot of traditions are similar to what they are now,” said social studies teacher and Campolindo alumni Tom Renno. “We had a rally…and the football game was always super big,” he recalled. On that front, the home football game remains a staple. From the halftime powderpuff game to the famous powder toss, Campo’s varsity football match is the peak of our hoco festivities.
Although the Friday rally has been around for a while, the format has changed. Leadership and social studies teacher Lindsay Webb-Peploe, Campolindo class of 1997, recalls that “[Campo] did skits at the homecoming rally which we don’t really have anymore.” In present times, a signature video and funny competitions are usually the highlights.
In contrast, emphasis on class homecoming shirts is a newer tradition. Renno doesn’t “remember the t-shirts being as big as they are now.” The t-shirt reveal is one of the most anticipated moments of all, an element that was far less relevant during Campo homecomings in the past. In totality, our hoco spirit has evolved in different ways. Certain aspects have gained more attention while others, not so much.
For example, “[Students] didn’t always decorate hallways,” said Webb-Peploe. Instead, “we used to build floats that would be paraded around the field at halftime,” Renno said. Ms. WP argued the newer hallway tradition is slightly superior, seeing as the “floats used to only run around the track during halftime, where we [only] got to see them for two minutes.”
Senior Callen Bronson agreed with this statement: “I think the hallways are a much better tradition than floats. Our creativity is displayed for an entire week, and the whole school gets to enjoy it.”
In recent years, Webb-Peploe said that “[homecoming] seems more student friendly,” since it’s designed by students for students each year, so it changes or adjusts based on what the students want. For example this year, “they wanted the dance itself outside and to hang out inside.” In the future, Campo’s homecoming is likely to have small changes since “the people in [leadership] have an opportunity to try new things every year,” Webb-Peploe stated.
Homecoming will remain a special time for both students and staff. Whatever shape it decides to take, it will always be a way for students to come together and build Campo pride. For many, participation in the week creates high school memories that last a lifetime.
