Homecoming is the prime time in the fall for the Bellefonte Community to unite and celebrate the Bellefonte Area School District together. Students get involved by competing to create the biggest and best floats for the parade and gathering at the Homecoming dance. The community comes together to cheer on the football team and admire floats and collect candy at the parade. However, this year Homecoming is going to look very different due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with many questions still surrounding the festivities. 

Homecoming has been in the back of everyones’ minds as they watched fall events being cancelled. Many students are concerned about whether or not these events will still occur or if there will be any major setbacks. 

“We will not have a Homecoming dance this year, unfortunately. We are hoping to postpone the parade until the spring, however,” Student Council and English teacher Miss Jennifer Richardson said. 

This news may be disappointing to many, as there has always been a Homecoming dance in either September or October. However, there is still hope to have a parade in the spring that will be very similar to the ordinary parade that the community has every year, giving people a positive outlook on what is to come.

“We will still have the classes create floats and invite community and school activities to take part. The people who are members of the Homecoming court will be featured in the parade as always,” Miss Richardson said. 

Homecoming court will still look the same, as each grade will nominate representatives and the school will vote for royalty as per usual. However, the Student Council is still working out details as regulations continue to change. Everyone will be working together to keep it as “normal” as possible. 

As many are aware, future plans for Homecoming events are still up in the air as new changes regarding COVID occur almost every day as cases rise and decline. Because of the unknown, there has not been a public announcement about what to expect. 

“We haven’t made any public announcements about cancellations or postponements of the typical traditions. I feel that our community will be understanding of the fact that this year is completely different from anything we’ve ever gone through before,” Miss Richardson said. 

Student Council is currently working on a few projects related to Homecoming that will be different from what has been done in previous years. They will spread positivity throughout the community during such a difficult time for many. One project focuses on giving back to the community and showing gratitude to those in the community. 

“One thing we want to do is to recognize the essential workers in the community. Right now we are working on getting them signs to express our appreciation,” Miss Richardson said. 

Not only are they giving thanks, they are also working on a separate project that gets everyone involved. Student Council is currently working on a project that would allow alumni of BAHS to submit pictures  or videos from their favorite Homecoming memories, or send in written responses that will be posted on the school’s social media or website.

The Student Council is working very hard to maintain the school spirit through the planning process for Homecoming. By continuing to think of creative ways for the community to carry out traditions and newer additions, the community will be able to adjust to the changes and still feel the excitement of Homecoming.