Written by Kathryn Burke, Staff Writer
A great deal of planning and dedication goes into Poly’s traditional homecoming activities, especially for the parade. Read further to see who participated, what the floats looked like, and more.
On Saturday, October 11th, Poly hosted their annual Homecoming parade, along with a carnival and a football game.
The parade began with Poly’s JROTC, band, colorguard, and pep-squad marching down Central Avenue. It was a great start to the day, covering the crowd with enthusiasm. Saniya Brewer (11) and Rylee Renteria (11), two members of our Pep Squad, were asked to share their feelings about the day. Brewer and Renteria expressed that their favorite part of the day was “the end of the parade or probably the carnival.” Both of them had participated in float building and learning and preparing routines for the parade, so a break for them sounded much needed.
After these groups led the way, multiple cars followed for the various clubs held at Poly, each with their nominees being admired. They were shown in their formal attire, being acknowledged for their impact on the school. There is so much the nominees and club representatives have done to prepare for homecoming, and some groups shared what they were looking forward to the most:
NAMI Club Nominees:
Haley Calapres- “I think I’m most excited to demonstrate our Poly Pride.”
Eris Estrella- “My favorite part of homecoming is spending time with people and decorating.”
Link Crew King:
Aiden Nelson-Romero – “Honestly, right now, probably going home. I wanna go back to sleep, it’s too early for this.”
National Honor Society Queen:
Savannah Bustamante- “I think I’m most excited for the carnival, I love it. But the parade itself is really fun.”
Club nominees had to put in a lot of work for homecoming, but being able to ride the cars down Central, waving at their peers and the Poly family, was a simple and warm way to put an end to the work, marking the beginning of the enjoyment to come with homecoming festivities.
Soon after clubs, many sports followed, driving and walking together in union. They each held up posters representing their sport and handed out candy or their own merchandise.
The part most people were waiting for: each class’ floats! The category for this year was “Level Up”, and each class got a specific video game to base their float off of. Freshmen had Candy Crush, sophomores had Pac-Man, juniors had Minecraft, and seniors had Mario Kart. Each class spent countless hours the week before crafting their float with handmade tissue flowers. They were all excellent and swept the crowd off their feet!
The community loves and looks forward to the parade every year, watching students come together to represent their groups on campus. All the hard work put into it pays off, impacting students, staff, and Poly families. With all the effort that is put into every part of the parade, from the route planning to the floats, it is no wonder that it is always an annual hit for parents, students, and alumni of Poly.