By Taylor Munce, sports editor and Sam Hetrick and Grant Anthony, junior high reporters

Homecoming is an opportunity for junior high students to rub elbows with the upperclassmen. With all the buzz surrounding court and who will reign as King and Queen, their voices often get lost in the noise.

Seventh grader Fayelynn McWright is looking forward to seeing how her friends and peers look. “I’m not wearing heels, though, I don’t want to break my neck!” She feels that homecoming should not just be about getting a date for the dance. “I don’t need a man to feel good about myself,” McWright said. “I just like hanging out with my other Single Pringle girlfriends.” Her friend Joelle Jackson agreed: “We’re all fries in a McDonald’s box. We stick together.”

Freshman Kat Diesing feels similarly about dates and homecoming. “I am too good for all these men,” Diesing said. “I need to go with my best friend Aidan. She always makes it a blast.”

Most of the Junior high students agree that friends make the dance all the better. Seventh grader Collin Jones said that he looks forward to hanging out with friends at the dance. “I’m also looking forward to singing, dancing and having a great time,” Jones said.  Both Jones and fellow seventh grader Alyssa Arblaster are looking forward to the music. Both agree that their favorite song is “Africa” by Toto.

The Homecoming dance is not the only event that students are looking forward to; many are also excited for the football game.“The football game is fun and exciting because you get to see who the King and Queen are,” said Arblaster. “Getting to know new people at the dance is fun as well.”