Homecoming at Ida B. Wells High School will take place on Oct. 18. The theme this year is Miami Nights. In previous years, Homecoming has been open to every IBW student, regardless of attendance. However, this year’s Homecoming has a couple of new policies.
To be able to attend Homecoming, students will need an attendance of 90 percent or more. Additionally, there is a maximum capacity of 600. IBW hasn’t officially said why there is a capacity, but some speculate it could be from last year’s mosh pit. Playing chicken and bumping into each other while dancing was a common occurrence. The 600-person limit is roughly 40 percent of the IBW population, meaning more than half of the students will be unable to attend.
Check-in time for the dance is from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. or 15 minutes after the game ends. However, for athletes such as football players and cheerleaders, the 15-minute limitation does not apply. They will have the extra time they need to get ready after working hard during the IBW homecoming game.
The new attendance policy is stressful, especially for IBW seniors. “I think it [the attendance policy] will ruin it for seniors, especially if they have under 90 percent attendance, this will be their last homecoming,” said Sydney Collins, a leadership student. A senior might not be able to enjoy their last homecoming experience, or vice versa, a freshman might not be able to go to their first.
This new policy might give students a sense of urgency to make an effort to come to school every day, and skip fewer classes.“It definitely makes sure people aren’t going to skip class all the time,” said Maddy Hamilton, a junior at IBW. “Which is good.”
On the contrary, the new policies do create less motivation to actually go to the dance. Similar to two years ago, the IBW football game is directly before Homecoming. This means people who go to the game will have to wear their homecoming attire. Elise Norman was one of the students who wore their outfit to the game. She said it was “Really awful.” This year it is the same way. Students will have to decide if they want to go to the game in their outfits or stay home to get ready with the risk of potentially missing check-in.
Homecoming is something IBW students look forward to each year. It is a time for fun and for all ages to get together and let loose. Some of these memories will be reflected on for years to come.
The school administration has continued to develop policies that will make students reflect on their attendance. For example, last year’s prom had a similar attendance policy with 85% or higher. Statistics are showing that just being present will help students greatly. Students need to change their views on attendance and how it affects their opportunities to attend school events. In return, IBW should let their students know about these policies at the beginning of the year, which can help relieve stress. The new norm is that attendance matters, so don’t let it be what decides whether you can enjoy high school events.
