Homecoming | Kaylynn O’Curran

Homecoming

by Kaylynn O’Curran

Homecoming. For most, it’s two nights of high school spirited fun. One night of Friday night football lights and another for thigh-length dresses and dress shirts with suspenders. As I’m sure most of you know, CCA does not have the same dynamic. Ours is generally later in the month; we have a pep rally, no football team, and a themed dance, this year being “Out of This World”. The dress code for our homecoming ranges from thigh length dresses to pajamas. I’ve honestly seen it all. But what is the true definition of homecoming, and how did it start?

Homecoming is usually intended as a “coming home” event for the alumni of the school. It is considered to have either started in Illinois, Baylor, or Missouri, and the general goal is to bring students and alumni together to make school pride stronger, sometimes with parents tagging along. Dating back to the 1870’s, Harvard and Yale would invite past students back for their annual game against each other. But the real celebrations that encompass homecoming starting around 1910, with Baylor, Illinois, and Missouri. According to Active, Chester Brewer, the University of Missouri Athletic Director, was recognized by the NCAA, Jeopardy!, and Trivial Pursuit as the originator of homecoming. He planned parties, parades, a pep rally, and a football game against long-time rival University of Kansas, all to celebrate the past and present students of the university. However, there was also Baylor University’s “Good Will Week”, which aimed to “renew former associations and friendships and renew the Baylor spirit.” This dated back to 1909, and almost the entire population of Waco, Texas was in attendance. But the name, homecoming, is owned by Chester Brewer of the University of Missouri.

Has CCA strayed a little too far from the norm? Our neighbors, CCHS and Torrey Pines, both follow this trend with the football game and Saturday night dance but we, as CCA usually does, went our own way. Our school was founded on the basis of wanting to be a little different, and that hasn’t changed in thirteen years. We decided to ditch the football team and cheerleading squad in hopes of avoiding a clique dynamic—another way for CCA to stand out, which I’d say was successful, seeing as, according to U.S. news, we were the 5th best school in California last year. The little arts school might not have a conventional homecoming, but we are still united in celebration of our school.