It’s a musical week on the campus of Escalon High School and it will culminate with the crowning of Winter Homecoming royalty.
“For our Winter Homecoming we chose “The Soundtrack of Our Lives” – this theme is important to us because music plays a crucial role within everyone’s lives,” explained Homecoming Commissioner Natalie Ruiz.
She and fellow Homecoming Commissioner Gianna Wilson have been busy putting together the events for the week and coordinating with the various grade levels regarding royal candidates.
“Music is used to tell the story of our lives and brings us together,” Ruiz added. “For Homecoming Week, we have lunch time activities planned where the candidates will participate in music-themed games.”
Monday was Rock ‘n Roll day, with Tuesday as Disco. Hip Hop was chosen as the Wednesday theme, with Pop on Thursday and Country on Friday.
As was done for the first time this past fall, there is a court from the senior class for the Homecoming King, but there are also candidates for Homecoming Prince from each of the underclassmen grade levels, junior, sophomore and freshman. One prince will be selected from each of those grades, in addition to the senior Homecoming King.
“In the fall we introduced the Homecoming Princesses; we are so excited to give some of underclassmen boys the chance to be a class prince,” Ruiz shared.
Homecoming King candidates are, in alphabetical order, Tony Epps, Ryan Lewis, Ryan Murphy, Andrew Olmos and Jake Sawyer.
Representing the junior class as prince candidates are Ben Ferreira, Logan Huebner and Rylan Koops. Sophomore prince hopefuls are Cole Elsholz, Damian Morales and Brien Novetzke and freshman prince candidates are Jayden Abram, Dylan Ball and Ryder Esteves.
“We have a Homecoming Rally where the candidates will show us who they truly are and win the crowd over for the final vote,” said Ruiz. “Then our Homecoming ceremony will be at the varsity basketball halftime.”
The rally is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 31 with the school on a Rally Day schedule. Pre-period, first, second, break, third and fourth periods are on a shorter schedule, starting with pre period at 7:1 a.m. and wrapping up with the end of fourth period at noon. After the lunch break, from 12:01 p.m.to 12:36 p.m., students will continue the shorter class schedule; with fifth period from 12:41 p.m. to 1:32 p.m., then the rally from 1:38 p.m. to 2:08 p.m. The students then return to class for sixth period, 2:14 p.m. to 3:05 p.m., before dismissal.
Escalon will host Hilmar on Friday night for Homecoming, with a trio of games. It starts with the JV boys at 4 p.m. and will be followed by the varsity girls at 5:30 p.m.
The varsity boys have a 7 p.m. tip off time and that game will feature the Homecoming festivities at halftime.
