This year, the Student Council came together and planned LFA’s Paris-themed homecoming on September 21st. The enormous Eiffel Tower, lively music, exciting photo opportunities, and complete rearrangement of the Student Center were all key factors in making the event as successful as it was. This year’s homecoming was a hit among the community thanks to the Student Council’s effort that culminated in an incredibly strong start to the year. Three years ago marked LFA’s first homecoming, and as many community members may remember, it was not the best due to bad lighting, a space that was too big, and a lack of people showing up. However, since then, the Student Council has worked to improve the event continuously and increase school spirit.
Mimi Sexton ‘25 has been on the Student Council for the last three years and was in the original group that helped plan LFA’s first-ever homecoming. She emphasized how much planning went into homecoming, “We started preparing for homecoming during preseason, which is when we decided on the theme. Junior and Senior Student Council would have weekly meetings.” This amount of planning helped make this year’s homecoming the best it’s ever been.
Sexton said the 40-foot Eiffel Tower was set up for the dance and was made the night before by the student council. The setup took over five hours, with each piece of cardboard having to be carefully placed
“We initially wanted Reid because it is such a beautiful space that we don’t get to take advantage of nearly as much as we should. Unfortunately, Reid was booked so we had to think of another plan,” said Sexton. After a few ideas, the location of choice turned out to be the Student Center–but it was not ideal. It would be very difficult to get people excited for a school dance at their dining hall. However, the Student Council worked countless hours to decorate and make the Student Center the perfect place for LFA’s third homecoming.
In the past year, LFA has held homecoming in the Glore gym, but due to renovations and construction, was unable to host it there this year and had to think of other possible locations.
Assistant Dean of Students, Akim Mpofu, emphasized that “Crown is not an ideal location because it is too big.” He added that the Student Center worked out well because “the dance floor was confined” but had “space on the side so that people could do their own thing.”
The Student Center also offered a place for students to relax and enjoy the dance from afar. “It turned out to be a very good location,” Mpofu shared. “I think there is a huge potential in the future.”
Liv Kelly ‘25 talked about how much she enjoyed this year’s homecoming, “It was better than the previous homecoming and the overall vibe seemed more enthusiastic.” Kelly had a lot of fun with her friends at the dance and noticed how much work the student council put in. “The decorations and Eiffel Tower were very impressive and I could tell that they put a lot of work into this dance,” said Kelly. She noted that a lot of students also commented on how the lighting, DJ, and decorations matched the theme. With the purple strobe lights and Eiffel tower decor, the dance felt like a real night in Paris. Kelly said she also noticed that many students were enjoying themselves and remained in the Student Center for the duration of the dance. In past years, she said most students only stayed for 30-45 minutes at most–showing an increase in LFA’s school spirit and participation.
At LFA’s initial homecoming, the number of tickets purchased was in the 100s, and last year it grew to about 250. This year’s turnout surpassed previous years, with nearly 300 tickets sold, representing approximately 75% of the school’s population. The increase in student attendance is due to the efforts of the student council and their focus on promoting the dance.
LFA’s homecoming has evolved immensely over the past three years, shaped by the diligence of student leaders who contribute their time, energy, and ideas each.
