Half of the school has not yet experienced a true Homecoming Week. Last year, there was no Homecoming dance and no hall decorations. This year’s tradition has the chance to be remembered as a return to the normalcy of pre-Covid times. 

Spanish teacher and Student Council moderator Mrs. Kim Jamell said, “Hopefully, it’s going to be awesome like the old days.”

The smell of disinfectant, however, is impossible to ignore. The administration announced in an email on Sept. 15 that masking would remain mandatory in the school through at least Sept. 29, meaning another Homecoming Week with masks. 

Jamell confirmed that the Homecoming dance would be no exception. She said, “Masks are the only way we can have all these things.” According to Jamell, the dance will take place both outside and in the Shiel Student Life Center on Sept. 23. Jamell said, “People just come after their events. We don’t ask anyone and you don’t dress up. People seriously just come in their running shorts, their volleyball (uniforms), their soccer (clothes), and it’s a fun dance because 800 people show up. We check you off when you come in, and that lets us know how many people from each class participated.”

Senior and Student Council officer Nick Bozzelli-Levine laid out the schedule for the week. Tuesday is going to be ‘Pogues vs. Kooks,’ based on the Netflix series ‘Outer Banks.’ And Wednesday we’re doing ‘Wild West Wednesday,’ Thursday is going to be all-out Irish as always, and Friday is going to be the class themes.”

For those unfamiliar with Tuesday’s “Pogues vs. Kooks” theme, Bozzelli-Levine said, “it’s basically two competing groups, one group’s kind of rougher, and ready to fight and the other group’s got the polos and they’re a little more upper class. It’s kind of the lower class and the upper class and the different styles.” The Pogues are more lower class and the Kooks are the upper class group.

Spirit stick calculations

According to Bozzelli-Levine, “The spirit stick is being calculated on four components. The first is hallway decoration, and a team of judges outside of Cathedral — so they’re not going to be Cathedral parents, not Cathedral teachers, so they’re not biased against anyone — they’re going to come in and they’re going to judge the hallways. They’re going to determine the best looking one based on effort, style, creativity and stuff like that.” Bozzelli-Levine provided reassurance that hallway decorating would be back to normal again, and not just parking spots like last year. 

Jamell said, “Half of your class should be there decorating your hall.” The time for hall decorating is after school on Sept. 21 until 6 p.m.

As for the second criteria, Jamell said it is based on the Ignite the Irish fundraiser and the percentage of people in each class who met the goal.”

Bozzelli Levine continued with the third criteria. He said, “Homecoming dance attendance: this one’s really easy, as long as you show up to the homecoming dance you get a point for your class.”

He said, “The last one is dress-up days. As long as you dress up, teachers in one of your classes will count the amount of people in the class that have their special clothes on.” 

Jamell cautioned that these points would not be handed out as freely in years past. She said, “One thing kids might need to know is, on all-out Irish day, wearing a Cathedral T-shirt and sweats is not going to cut it. You won’t get points for that. You won’t get in trouble or anything, but you won’t get points for your class.”

In an address to the whole student body, but particularly the freshmen, Bozzelli-Levine said, “Don’t be afraid to participate (and) to have fun. Dress up and do all the Homecoming activities. Come to the Homecoming dance. Help decorate your hallway. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there because you’re going to have fun if you do put yourself out there, and it’s just going to be a great time. You’ve got to let yourself have a fun time, because you only get four Homecoming weeks in your high school career and you have to make good use of them.”

The Homecoming assembly on Sept. 24 will have “as much jam-packed action and fun as humanly possible,” according to Bozzelli-Levine. 

Jamell listed off assembly activities: “Cheerleaders are going to perform, the new teacher dance, the fall sports walk, the freshman dance because we didn’t get to do that at the other ones, Latin Dance, the leprechauns, (Mr. Howard) Fogel’s going to talk a little bit about the fundraiser, (Mr.) John O’Hara ‘02 is going to speak about what the spirit stick and what Homecoming means and then we announce the spirit stick.” 

All four classes will be competing for the spirit stick, led by their respective class presidents.

Class presidents are ready

Patrick Crisp is this year’s Freshman Class president. Their theme, chosen via class vote, is “Fa la la la la Freshmen,” a Christmas motif. Crisp said, “We’re going to decorate the halls with fake snow and ornaments and fake trees with Christmas music, different Santa and elf statues, and all these Christmas decorations.” Crisp and his nine fellow class officers will lead the decorating push to turn the social studies hallway into a winter wonderland. Crisp concluded, “We’re excited for the school year. We’re ready for Homecoming and it’ll be fun.” 

William Fox is the Sophomore Class president. The sophomore theme is “Sophomore Stars,” which is celebrity inspired. He and his fellow class officers initially wanted to do “Surfin’ Sophomores,” but it was deemed too close to the senior theme. The sophomores have the science hallway to decorate. Fox said the class officers have made plans to emulate the Hollywood Walk of Fame on the lockers. They plan to section their hallway off for each theme.

Although it’s normal for the freshmen to come into the decorating blind, this year the sophomores will, too. Fox said, “Last year we didn’t do it because of Covid. It was just the parking spaces.” In a message to the rest of the sophomores, Fox said, “Go all out. Don’t hold back. If you have anything you think might help us, do it.”

Brody Snyder is the president of the Junior Class. Among other options such as “Jetpack Joyride Juniors,” “Jumanji Juniors” and “Just Dance Juniors,” the class voted to make “James Bond Juniors” the class theme. The math hallway is the juniors’ to decorate. Snyder, with the class officers, will lead the charge to decorate. “We are planning on plastering black paper on the walls that we can and then put a lot of pictures, movie posters, his car, stuff like that,” Snyder said, “We do have some plans to make it more interactive and engaging as you walk into the hallway.”

In a rallying cry to Junior Class, Snyder said, “We do have a shot of winning the spirit stick. I know everyone thinks it’s just a shoo-in for the seniors, but that’s because the juniors never really try. It’s because they already think that they’re going to lose, and that sets them up for failure. We can do it if we all, together, want to win.”

Reese Sanders is the Senior Class president. The class theme is “Surf’s Up Seniors.” It beat out the other six options in a Google form sent to the seniors. They will decorate the religion hallway. Sanders sent an email asking for supplies and had plans to organize the design of the hallway. As the leaders of the school, the seniors are the perennial favorites to win the spirit stick.

Sanders said, “Be in the spirit, dress up, get the money, fundraise — as a class we’re in third right now, but it’s getting really close — every point matters for sure. I’m trying to help my class, get them motivated, and I hope that ends up well for us.” She warned the other classes, “The seniors are coming, and we’re going to try our best to show the spirit we have for Cathedral and the love we have for Cathedral, and that we are excited to be Surf’s Up Seniors and take on the last week of Homecoming that we get to celebrate.”