Homecoming: the first feeling of freedom for freshman, and an exciting beginning to the last year of high school for seniors. Since the early twentieth century, homecoming has consisted of football games, parades, and dances. By the 1920s, homecoming became popular around the U.S. and was a popular American tradition. 

The University of Missouri is credited for being an originator of homecoming. There, in 1911, Mizzou’s athletic director asked alumni of the school to come back and integrate new students at a football game. This became known as the “coming home” game, which would soon have big celebrations that would come before and after the game. 

Over 100 years later, students still get excited to attend their high school’s homecoming football game, parade, and dance. At Timberland, during the week before homecoming there are a few fun traditions to get everyone excited for the dance. These include the powder puff game, spirit week, and the homecoming assembly. 

The powder puff game, held on October 2, was an intense win during overtime for the senior girls.

“It was so much fun playing with the girls, especially since we finally won. I’ve played in the powder puff game multiple times, but this was the best the team has ever done,” senior Lydia Jenkins said.

This year, spirit days included stoplight day (wearing red represented a student had a date, green meant a student did not have a date, and yellow meant students were neutral); twin day, where students wore similar outfits with a friend; Wednesday,  denim day, followed by pajama day, and lastly neon day.

“[Student council] really wanted to do the stoplight day idea so that people without dates can feel comfortable talking to others without dates and possibly get asked to the dance,”  senior Haley Bedwell said.

The homecoming football game was October 4. Timberland played, and lost to, Liberty. 

Candidates for homecoming queen and king included Olivia Plumber and Grant Jones, Jonathan Carney and Jenna Wilson, Quinn Zust and Connor Lyng, and Brooke Lemen and Douglas Dawkins. “

I was excited to be nominated, it’s an honor to be on court and it would be an even greater honor to win king,” senior Jonathan Carney said.

The homecoming dance was held on October 5, a first for some, and a last for others, but it will be remembered by everyone.