Disney at the drive

Athens Drive High School students are gearing up for the Disney themed spirit week, October 6-10. Festivities include dress-up days, pep rally, tailgate and the football game that yielded the highest attendance in the 2014 season.

The ADHS student council spends many days after school prior to homecoming planning and preparing for the school’s annual spirit week. Spirit week takes place the days preceding the annual homecoming football game. Starting in summer, the student council executive board met to lay out the basis for the years homecoming events.

The main event for homecoming week every year is the daily dress-up themes. This year, days are set to be “Mouse Monday,” “Tacky Tourist Tuesday,” “Movie Character Wednesday,” “Class Shirt Thursday” and “Blue and Orange Friday.”

“Last year the dress up days were my favorite part of homecoming because I really got the chance to showcase my inner creativity,” says current Senior at Athens Drive, Joey Liptak.

Each student is highly encouraged to dress up within his or her specific class theme. This year, moving from seniors to freshmen, the class themes are “Magic Kingdom,” “Animal Kingdom,” “Epcot” and “MGM Studios.” Athens Drive students have been known to dress extravagantly for the themed days.

Along with the daily events, Friday holds its own special set festivities. During school, there will be a pep rally during the last hour of the day. The pep rally is for sophomores, juniors and seniors who attend Athens Drive. During this event, the homecoming court will be announced and a parade of class floats will be displayed.

Shortly after school lets out, student council members begin preparing for the evenings festivities.

Senior Jenna Hiscock said, “We put a ton of effort into homecoming week each year! Usually we stay at school from the time school lets out until the game starts so that we can get ready for all of the exciting things we do.”

Beginning with the student council sponsored tailgate, students will be able to show school spirit throughout the whole night.  Decorations will be spread all across the stadium and students will be encouraged to wear as much orange and blue possible.

At football game kickoff, the student section is high energy with a wide variety of spirited cheers. At halftime, the final homecoming event takes place. Student-elected king and queen are going to be announced in front of the whole crowd.

Homecoming weeks in the past have set the bar high for Athens Drive this year. This week has yielded high student participation in the past, and is expected by the student government to be even more successful this year.

“This year we put a ton of extra time and planning into homecoming and I think it will be the best year Athens had ever had. I am super excited to see how it all pans out,” said Sydney Rupple, senior and student body secretary.