Knights, princesses, dragons, and… bobbing for apples?

After shortened classes, West Chicago Community High School students gathered for the annual Homecoming pep assembly, which kicked off a day of challenges and entertainment before the Food Fest and parade.

Students were divided by grade, with each class filling a designated section of the stands: freshmen on the south side of the field, sophomores at midfield, juniors in the student section, and seniors on the visitor’s side. The assembly featured a mix of games, performances from the dance and cheer teams, a pie-in-the-face teacher challenge, and the announcement of this year’s Homecoming king and queen.

Pep Club members greeted students at the 2024 pep assembly, directing them to their seats and recruiting volunteers for the games.

Seniors started strong, taking the first win of the day in a surfing game. Teams, separated by grade, competed by having one person stand on a table while teammates acted as waves, helping them move across the field.

Sophomores eagerly tried to dethrone the seniors in the surfing competition.

“I enjoyed the competitiveness between all of the grades and the enthusiasm from everyone. At first, I thought the table would hurt when they rolled over me, but it didn’t, and I really enjoyed the game. It created a lot of energy, getting everyone hyped up,” Brock Parker, sophomore, said.

The pep assembly also featured Social Studies teacher Nicholas Caltagirone taking a pie to the face, courtesy of the National Honor Society (NHS).

“Our two committee chairs, Giselle and Sophia, did an amazing job planning this event. We had several meetings and a lot of discussions about how to pull it off. We loved the idea of doing it during Homecoming, so we worked as fast as we could. The WEGO community really came through and helped us raise about $200 for NHS,” senior Miranda Bucio, President of NHS, said.

The dance team kept the energy high with a fresh routine for Homecoming, exciting the crowd. The team welcomed new coach and WEGO alum Nicole Baranowski this season, and Homecoming gave them the chance to showcase their new routine at both the pep assembly and the football game. Their performance featured songs such as the classic Disney intro, in keeping with the “Once Upon a Time” theme, and hits like “Pon de Replay” and “Rude Boy” by Rihanna, “Level Up” by Ciara, and “Jenny from the Block” by Jennifer Lopez.

“It was unforgettable. From the pep assembly to the parade, pom boys, and the football game, I will miss dancing with the West Chicago dance team. We’ve grown so close in such a short time, spending hours practicing, planning, and getting ready together. It created such a strong bond. Leading up to the game, we worked so hard for our Homecoming routine, and I can proudly say it was one of our best performances. The energy, partner tricks, and adrenaline of performing in front of an audience reminded me why I love dancing so much,” Lopez Pedroza said.

In the second game, a student from each grade tried to retrieve objects from a bucket of water using only their mouths. Seniors, led by Gavin Dyer, secured another win, leaving competitors drenched but energized as the crowd cheered them on.

The staff vs. senior Disney karaoke challenge brought laughs and struggles from both sides. Many competitors, including seniors Jake Voight, Thomas Cabrera, and Mia Zapata, as well as junior Alina Ortiz, were not familiar with some Disney classics, often seeking help from teammates and even listening to answers being shouted by Pep Club members on the sidelines.

Pep Club members were vocal throughout the competition, cheering on their classmates during the staff vs. senior challenges and offering help from the sidelines.

The WEGO cheer team also wowed the crowd with their spirited routine, featuring stunts, jumps, tumbling, and pyramids. After working on their performance throughout the school year, the team impressed with an energetic cheer and upbeat mix.

The final game of the assembly involved students from each grade racing across the field on air mattresses. The competition eliminated the seniors and sophomores in the first round, leaving the freshmen to claim a surprise victory over the juniors in the final showdown.

The assembly concluded with the crowning of the 2024 Homecoming King and Queen, seniors Diego Contreras and Abby Wing.

“My first thought was ‘Abby’s gonna be so happy that we won Hoco king and queen,’” Contreras said.