Music and chatter filled the Salter Stadium at the annual Homecoming Assembly, commemorating Arcadia High School’s (AHS) Homecoming season. On Sept. 29, following a week of spirit events and school pride, students of all grade levels packed the bleachers while wearing their respective class colors. The setting was a notable change from 2022, when the assembly was held in the North Gym, but didn’t allow the entire student body to convene.
Once ASB Executive President Joyce Lee kicked off the assembly, Arcadia Marching Band and Color Guard took center stage for a field show. As always, AHS’ other performing arts groups featured prominently: members of Pep Cheer tumbled, cheered and stunted on the turf, while Pep Song impressed with a sharp routine featuring a kick line. Orchesis Dance Company caught the audience’s attention by taking the field to Todrick Hall’s “Attention;” bedazzled in silver sparkles, the performers also collaborated with Pep Song for a second dance.
“[Performing] was very nerve-wracking and intimidating at first, but after the first performance, I realized how exciting it was to be in front of the school,” said AHS sophomore and Arcadia Marching Band member Catherine Zhu. “My many hours spent [rehearsing] for band truly paid off in the end.”
“Every assembly I’m a part of is so fun and I really enjoy the memories I create with my team. For this assembly specifically, I really enjoyed hearing the cheers from the crowd after our performance, but also cheering for the other performers during this assembly,” junior Pep Song dancer, Emily Son, shared.
Next in the assembly was the long-awaited Homecoming Royalty Court, announced by ASB Vice President Henrina Zhang and ASB Spirit Commissioner Kelly Fong. The crowd roared in applause as Freshman Prince and Princess Christopher Tsai and Hailey Lam were the first to enter from the entrance. Next, Sophomore Prince and Princess Jonah Salama and Kaeden de Leon joined the two. Junior Prince and Princess Manuel Garcia and Grace Mccloskey tagged along as well, before Zhang and Fong eventually revealed the top three Senior Prince and Princesses. The first pair out of the three, Taylor Vo and Elizabeth Chan made their way to the field, followed by Harry Hairapetian and Mahrie Bedjakian, and lastly, Kyle Soriano and Veronica Meyers.
The pairs of princes and princesses then got ready for a relay game that consisted of a three-legged race as well as throwing balls into baskets. The competition went on for a couple minutes before the Freshman Court took the victory.
“Overall, this experience was super great!,” Tsai beamed. “Being part of the assembly made me realize how much work people go into making this possible and I had so much fun being able to participate in it.”
Once the applause died down, AHS students from each grade level went afield for an assembly game. The rules were simple: students balanced cups full of water on their heads, and transferred as much water as they could to the next person in line. In the end, the freshmen won this untraditional relay, dumping the most water into a bucket before time ran out.
“It was very fun to watch the game,” said AHS junior Kai Wetterau. “I had a lot of laughs watching people spill water on themselves.”
Between performances, AHS’ Fall Varsity sports teams made an appearance—Coed Varsity Cross Country, Boys Varsity Water Polo, Girls Varsity Golf, Girls Varsity Tennis, and, of course, Varsity Football. Each team ran through the football tunnel before performing an individualized cheer. Girls Varsity Golf putted across the field, while Coed Varsity Cross Country ran through a makeshift finish line; Girls Varsity Tennis even tossed up a massive tennis ball.
After a final, fun-spirited dance by Seniors of Merit at Work, the assembly closed with a rendition of AHS’ alma mater. Students put their arms around each other, swayed and sang, then headed back to class with Pep Band playing in the background.
For some students, it was their first time experiencing a Homecoming assembly at AHS. For others, it was their very last.
“It was kind of bittersweet because I’m never going to experience [a Homecoming Assembly] again,” said senior Alysia Shang. On how it felt to watch the assembly, she added: “It was nice to see how much work the students put into their organizations—how much they care about [them].”
Plenty of AHS students returned to Salter Stadium that night for the Homecoming Game against Burbank High School. Dressed in scarlet to create a “Red Sea,” and riding the wave of school spirit from earlier that day, Arcadia secured a 59-14 victory against the Bulldogs. Go Apaches!
