On September 11, 2021 North High Magnet School had Homecoming for the first time since 2019 with the theme out of this world. Unlike recent years where Homecoming took place in early October, it took place almost a month earlier.  

This along with a few changes due to COVID-19, such as no students from other schools being allowed and masks being required, prompted new challenges for student council when preparing. 

Sneha Sengupta, 12, co-president of student council said, “It’s been super stressful.”  

Sengupta said that they have been having officer meetings every week since the middle of July. They  have been texting to communicate plans.  

“This is the first year we did not get a say in the date, usually student council plays a role in choosing the date,”said Sengupta, who later added, “And also because of how early it is, we weren’t able to get homecoming T-shirts, get homecoming tickets that are up to par with past years, and also even get out the word that homecoming is this week.” 

With the new obstacles, student council has implemented ways to try and allow everyone to help prepare. She said that a large part in preparing for Homecoming is setting up events, so that students have time to help. 

“We have little take home projects for students who are in sports, or are too involved and can’t make it to the meetings, or the after school events. They can take home craft projects and they make the decorations at home in their own time and they come and bring it to school for homecoming,” said Sengupta. 

Not only have they created ways to keep the students involved, this year Sengupta said that she has seen the students more invested in what they are doing.  

“I’m really excited to see how the decorations turn out because there’s so many people just excited to be apart of it,” she said. 

Sengupta said that it has been hard for her to find time to help with decorating, since she is involved in many other activities at North, but as the head of the neon decorations she has high hopes for the decorations. 

“We’re going to have a black light, and we have a bunch of neon and glow in the dark fluorescent paint and decorations we’re making. We have glow in the dark stars, shooting stars, planets, it’s all very space themed,” said Sengupta. 

Sengupta also said that this year, they have made applications for student council much easier, in that everyone gets in. This  has led to more people applying with their friends and showing up in groups to help.  

Even with a much tighter time constraint, Sengupta is excited to show off everyone’s effort in designing  Homecoming this year.