Glenbard West recently celebrated one of the most anticipated weekends of the year: Homecoming! Thanks to the Homecoming Committee and Ms. McGann’s hard work, it was definitely a weekend to remember. Each grade celebrates Homecoming in different ways; from creative Homecoming proposals freshman year, to party bus after-parties senior year, there are always exciting traditions over the four years.

Freshman year Homecoming is the first real dance that freshmen are invited to. Each year the freshman class is known to ask their dates in creative ways ranging from cheesy puns to full-blown videos. Aside from creative Homecoming proposals, the new class of 2022 experienced Homecoming on and off the dance floor. Devon Kelleher, freshman at Glenbard West, enjoyed going to the “pep rally, bonfire, and the pancake breakfast.” Kelleher explained how it was fulfilling to take part of the Homecoming events after seeing it “go on for so many years.”  Kelleher is excited to continue the Homecoming tradition here at Glenbard West.

By their second year of high school, the class of 2021 was eager to hit the dance floor yet again. It is common for sophomores at Glenbard West to have slightly more extravagant before and after parties, since they’ve grown a little more comfortable in their new territory. Many sophomores, such as Lauren Alcock, were jazzed to experience Homecoming in this new way. Alcock elaborated that with her group was “the overall experience was really special” as she and her fellow sophomores participated in spirit week prior to the dance. From pajama to jersey day, Alcock thoroughly loved “spirit week leading up to the dance.” Unlike freshman year, where the newbies are nervous about showing up to school in crazy outfits, the class of 2021 went all out this year.

While Sophomore year brought more comfortability in all of the Homecoming festivities, the class of 2020 left it all on the dance floor this year. Robbie Matthew, junior at Glenbard West, said his favorite part was “definitely the pep rally and seeing all of the younger students at West and alumni.” Being a junior at West, Matthew and his group stepped up their after-party game and went to Top Golf following the dance. This year, Matthew was thrilled to be on “Homecoming court with his best friend, Roxy Geballe” who was also his date for the dance. As the class of 2020 attended their third Homecoming at Glenbard West, they were sure to make the most of the whole weekend by attending events starting on Friday including Matthew’s personal favorite “the bonfire, where the entire community gets together and has fun.”

The class of 2019 closed the door on their last Homecoming, they made sure to pull out all the stops. Glenbard West senior and superfan, Caden Phillips, said he had an amazing final Homecoming and took advantage of all of the great traditions. Phillips was especially involved in Homecoming this year, participating in “the pep rally as a super fan and getting the crowd going with a little cheer.” Phillips made sure to show off his dancing skills this year because he “loves the dancing part, who doesn’t?” What Phillips and many other seniors’ Homecoming special was that they got to “kind of run the show during the week from themes to dancing in the gym. It made it seem like we were really the oldest ones there.”

Homecoming 2018 was definitely a night that will be remembered by Glenbard West students for years to come. As freshmen created their cheesiest proposals, sophomores started to step up their game, juniors went all out with their after parties, and seniors celebrated with all of the festivities, the entire week was filled with GBW pride.