Mackenzie Muniz and Tylor Gallegos were crowned Homecoming King and Queen. (Courtesy photo/Facebook)

High School memories are shared for decades after they happen. Everyone remembers when they dated their first sweetheart, when their best friend goofed and had everyone laughing, and how special they felt when they got all dressed up for a special school dance. Last week was Homecoming week at LaBelle High School, and with it, many memories were made.

The student council along with sponsor Maureen Doucette planned the activities leading up to the main event to commemorate such a special time and schedule as much fun for the student body as possible. Each day during the week was designated with a different theme so that students could dress up and participate in activities that fostered school spirit. The themes for each day included pajama day, nerds vs. jocks day, twin day, decades day, and Cowboy spirit day. During the week there were different activities like the AHA dodgeball and dance competition, bus loop games, and Powderpuff football. Students competed all week for being the most spirited grade-level during each activity with the hopes that they would be the class to own the Spirit Trophy.

For Friday night’s Homecoming football game, the organization Drug Free Hendry County sponsored a fun-filled tailgating event with games like tug-of-war, balloon toss, hula hoop passing, and human body bumper balls. Food vendors from the community also gathered to make the experience as meaningful as possible for LHS students. During the event students held a parade with floats decorated by each class to gain points toward the coveted Spirit Trophy. Ultimately the Sophomore class won the trophy. Mrs. Raulerson, the sponsor for the Sophomore class praised them saying, “I think that Thursday’s decade day put them over the top because our Sophomores really participated and dressed up. We represented the 1950’s, and students came as Pink Ladies and Greasers. They really went all out.”

The iconic events of every high-schooler’s Homecoming experience are the crowning of Homecoming King and Queen and the dance. During the halftime of the Cowboy Football game against the Lake Placid Dragons, the 2018 Homecoming Court was presented with Mackenzie Muniz and Tylor Gallegos winning Homecoming King and Queen. After a fun-filled week, students spent Saturday getting ready for the dance. Parents hid their tears during the rite of passage of taking pictures with their friends and dates. This year the theme from the dance was the 80’s! Students gathered Saturday night at the high school to see the cafeteria transformed into a 1980’s paradise so the students could dance the night away with the help of DJ Drae.

So many people poured their efforts in to making the 2018 LHS Homecoming a special one. The school reached out to the public with a grateful message for all the people who worked together to make every event successful. “Thank you to all of our staff, parents, and students for helping to make LaBelle High School’s Homecoming week a huge success. We would like to give special recognition to Drug Free Hendry County and all of our tailgating sponsors for making Friday extra fun. Thank you to Peck Law Office, Two Peas Cafe, Hendry Tobacco Free Partnership, Steven Polhemus PA, Michael Swindle, Southern Gardens Citrus, Students Working Against Tobacco, Southern Heritage Real Estate, Nisbet Enterprises, and Kinetico Water Systems. LHS Cowboys and Cowgirls appreciate all of your support!”

Decades from now, LHS students will be able to pull out the photos of when they participated in their 2018 Homecoming and show it off proudly to future generations.