West Chicago Community High School’s annual Homecoming pep assembly, held on October 18 at the football stadium, was a celebration of Wildcat pride. The event kicked off with energetic tunes from the marching band, setting the tone as the bleachers quickly filled with students and faculty.
The Pep Club started the festivities with a game inspired by “Moana,” where students acted as “waves” for their peers, guiding them toward a rubber chicken named “Hay-Hay.” The first game pitted the sophomores against the seniors, with the seniors emerging victorious in a close contest. The juniors and freshmen followed, with the juniors claiming the win after a competitive round.
In the final round between the seniors and juniors, controversy arose when rumors of cheating spread, with accusations that the juniors had run off the “surfboard.” After a brief review, it was decided that the seniors had won.
Next came the much-anticipated NHS Pie Face event. Rumors had circulated that Nicholas Caltagirone would be the unlucky recipient of the pie — and the rumors were true. He took the pie with good humor, much like the rulers of the Silk Road cities when the Mongols took over.
“It was a bit unpleasant, but if it helps raise money for charity, it’s all good,” Caltigirone said.
The pep assembly continued with a high-energy performance by the dance team, whose moves could have made King Julien from “Madagascar” proud. Following the dance team, Pep Club leader Mitch McKenna introduced the game “Ariel’s Under the Sea Bobbing for Thingamabobs,” which saw senior Gavin Dyer take home the win after a chaotic round.
In a teacher-versus-student Disney-themed singing game, the staff took an early lead by correctly identifying songs from “Beauty and the Beast,” “Frozen 2,” and “Tangled.” The students made a comeback, however, winning the final round with a full three points to secure an 11-9 victory.
After the singing competition, the cheer team wowed the crowd with a spirited performance, and then it was time for the crowning of the Homecoming King and Queen. Diego Contreras was crowned king, and Abby Wing took home the title of queen.
“All I can say is that if you told seven-year-old me that I’d win Homecoming Queen, she’d be going crazy,” Wing said when reflecting on her win.
The event concluded with a fun “Magic Carpet Ride” game, where the freshmen claimed victory, and the marching band brought the assembly to a close with a final flourish of music.
