Walls Community Celebrates Homecoming With Masquerade Theme

Walls held its annual homecoming dance at Eastern Market North Hall on Nov. 4 following a spirit week. Students showed their support and enthusiasm for the Walls community during the week by coming to school in their Halloween costumes, twin outfits, class colors, decades outfits, and pajamas.

Students were pumped up at the pep rally where they watched great performances from the cheer team, dance team, B.O.M.B. Squad, and even the teachers.

The theme of the Friday night dance was masquerade ball. “I chose that theme because if we were going to be indoor I wanted to do something that would be different and more exciting,” SGA sponsor Jeffrey Jordan said, “so I thought, let's make it a masquerade!”

Many students, like sophomore Alana Sapp, enjoyed the masquerade theme. “It was very cute and creative,” she said.

Freshman Isabella Esaw agreed.“I did like the masquerade theme,” she said. “It was unique and interesting to participate in because it felt different and entertaining.”

Others didn’t love the theme as much. Sophomore Dawn Drake said that “no one really paid attention to it.” Another sophomore, Josh Black, agreed that “no one followed the theme, and it was too peculiar for a high school homecoming since it is more of a casual dance.”

Mr. Jordan said about the Eastern Market venue, “I wanted a venue that was close to the Metro, where students didn't have to walk far in case they were coming with their friends and not their parents.”

Hugo Rosen, the then-president of SGA, added, “Some of the venues we were looking at would have cost a lot more and presented more logistical challenges. Eastern Market was just the smartest option.”

Many students appreciated the indoor venue following last year’s COVID-sensitive outdoor dance at the Fields at RFK. Sophomore Eden Desner appreciated that the event “wasn’t freezing.”

Junior Stephanie Tran also thought that the inside venue was an improvement on last year’s. “It had a lot of areas to step into if you weren’t comfortable in the main room,” she said. “For example, the tent outside.”

Others, like sophomore Sapp, preferred the outdoor venue, “because it doesn't get as hot and sweaty as fast.”

Senior Lilly Shaw agreed, saying, “I liked having homecoming outside, just because it was less of a COVID risk, and the indoor space was overly hot this year.”

This was most freshmen's first homecoming dance. Esaw said, “My first homecoming experience was amazing. I loved how everyone participated and had fun. The jumping when the beat to the music drops, doing the cha cha, clapping, singing.”

However, freshman Grace Heramb thought that homecoming wasn’t that different from other school dances she had attended. “My first homecoming experience was good,” she said. “It kinda just felt like any other dance I’ve been to though. Like it didn’t feel that different.”

While the dance was crowded, Mr. Jordan said chaperoning the dance “wasn't stressful. It was just putting all of these moving pieces together, which is something that I'm used to doing, and you want to make sure that everything that you plan your planning for the students.”

Rosen felt good about how the dance turned out. “I think this homecoming was the best one yet. The venue was pretty, the tickets weren’t too expensive, and the dance had a great atmosphere. Plus, unlike last year, it wasn’t cold,” he said.

Rosen emphasizes that SGA is always looking to improve: “We would love to hear any feedback you have so we can make next year’s dance even better.”