This year’s homecoming festivities will include an afternoon of a pep rally and competitive games at The Grove on the day before the Friday night dance.
The homecoming theme for this year is Hollywood Walk of Fame and will take place in the MPR from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 17. Homecoming tickets are on presale for $10 in the library for general admission until today during lunch.
Students can also purchase a meal from Raising Cane’s along with their ticket for $20 during the presale only. But entry at the door costs $15 with no food. Today during periods 5 and 6, there will be a pep rally for students and faculty in The Grove with activities such as musical chairs, volleyball and other games.
“It’s my first time going to a school dance,” freshman Mea Bailey said. “I’m going with my main friend group, so with Niya (Bowers) and Bethania (Terefe).”
The idea for Raising Cane’s was brought up by leadership student Guadalupe Martinez. She got the idea of adding Raising Cane’s instead of pizza to the ticket from her old high school, which provided Raising Cane’s and she thought it was possible to do it at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS).
Originally, the leadership class planned a collaboration with Lake Balboa College Prep High School’s (LBCPHS) 9-12th graders for the two days of homecoming festivities. The joint events consisted of DPMHS students walking to LBCPHS on Thursday and playing competitive games like volleyball, rock-paper-scissors and hopscotch between students and faculty from both schools. However, safety concerns with students bringing weapons onto the DPMHS campus raised safety concerns among the LBCPHS principal, parents and students.
LBCPHS Principal Robert Clarke was in favor of the collaboration but safety concerns from parents made him withdraw his students’ participation in the games and dance. Around 40 LBCPHS who bought homecoming tickets were displeased with this since their tickets weren’t refunded. The money went to the school for future events and they are now hosting their own homecoming.
DPMHS freshman Nicolette Donovan, who previously attended LBCPHS, was looking forward to seeing her friends at homecoming.
“(My friend) said that you didn’t even get a refund for it,” Donovan said about a friend who goes to LBCPHS. “He didn’t like it.”
However, Clarke would like to collaborate with DPMHS in the future once it’s deemed more safe for students and staff. Clarke pitched for DPMHS to join Lake Balboa Prep for movie nights and a Valentine’s Day dance in the near future.
“With the two events that happened in the last week, it scared my community,” Clarke said. “And because they don’t know you guys, they’re like, ‘Why are you doing this?’”
To ensure the safety of others, students will be wanded before they enter the dance. Despite LBCPHS pulling away from the collaboration, activities will still be taking place on campus for homecoming and the pep rally.
“I’m excited to see everyone nicely dressed,” Principal Kimberly Figueroa-Oliveira said. “I’m also excited for the music, I love music.”
