Irvington saw a record-breaking year with 850+ tickets sold for the fairytale-themed homecoming dance, Wish Upon a Star.

To prepare for the dance, ASG created a committee that specialized in all things related to homecoming. The group voted before the school year began on various themes for the dance including Halloween and Paris, but ultimately chose “Wish Upon a Star.” From there, ASG set to planning various projects for the dance and making any necessary arrangements.

“When you start planning earlier, as we did for the homecoming dance, a lot of logistics get sorted out,” Student Body President Nava Babaei (12) explained. “For example, by being early, we were able to secure our spot in the gym for a longer time, giving us more time to set up for the dance and make everything look pretty.”

This year, the team mainly focused on creating bigger and more interactive decorations. The entrance showcased a five foot tall white knight, and the main picture-taking spot featured a 3-D backdrop and bridge that students could stand on. 

Homecoming dance committee head Jasraj “Raj” Singh (12) stated, “I wanted to continue the Irvington tradition of school spirit during the homecoming week into the homecoming dance, so we really put the time into decorations, making it more big-scale and dramatic.”

These features truly emphasized the fairytale theme, and created a fun environment for attendees. Students enjoyed using the photo booth to print the pictures they took in front of a colorful backdrop.

While the music played at the dance did lack variety, it did not take away from the overall “hype” of the dance.

Suryateja “Teja” Mandadi (11) explained, “The music could have improved if the DJ took a few more suggestions, or maybe if they hired a student DJ who knew our interests better. But, I definitely enjoyed the atmosphere.”

Due to high ticket sales, Homecoming came as no expense to ASG. After the cancelled Sadies dance last year, students were left disappointed, but ASG successfully put together memorable junior and senior proms. They continued the trend with homecoming, showing progress in both planning and execution. Because of the high number of tickets sold and positive feedback from homecoming, ASG hopes the trend will continue.

“I am happy, but I hope the energy and success translates to Winter Ball and Sadies as well,” Raj commented.