Bartlesville High School's 2008 homecoming extravaganza promises to be smashing.
Several events are planned including the annual parade and block party as well as the school's first-ever homecoming dance.
In previous years, in lieu of a homecoming dance, BHS featured a Snowball dance, which debuted in the early 1980s. A product of the Senior Service League, officials with the group decided to begin organizing an annual homecoming dance, which is scheduled to take place on Friday, Oct. 3 following the Bruins' varsity homecoming game against visiting Sand Springs at Custer Stadium.
The dance, which is expected to begin around 9:30 or 10 p.m. and will continue until 12:30 a.m., will be held in the BHS Fieldhouse. Participants will enter the event through the Fine Arts Center lobby, which will feature complimentary sandwiches and chips. Tickets to the dance will be $10 apiece.
“The dance will be casual,” says Susan Staats, the Senior Service League coordinator at BHS who is overseeing preparations for the homecoming dance. “Students won't have to worry about dressing up.
“They can come straight to the dance after the game.”
The now defunct Snowball dance was a formal event, which won't be the case with its homecoming cousin. Students will even have the opportunity to vote for their favorite tunes to be played at the event whenever they buy their tickets. Tickets will be available in the BHS library during the lunch periods from Monday through Friday.
Qualifying sophomores from the Bartlesville Mid-High School are invited to attend the dance and can purchase their tickets after school in the BHS library on Monday and Wednesday from 3:10-4 p.m. However, their grade point average must be at a 2.0 or above and they can't have any disciplinary actions on their record from the current academic year.
Graduates from the BHS Class of 2008 are invited to attend as well and can buy their tickets at the door on the evening of the event. First though, they must contact Staats via email ( staatssc@bps-ok.org ) to get approval.
Money raised from the homecoming dance – through ticket sales – will benefit the annual senior breakfast on graduation day, Project Graduation and the Senior Service League Community Service Scholarship.
To vote for their favorite songs to be played at the homecoming dance, students will be asked to make a donation toward this year's M.A.D. (Make a Difference) Week events. M.A.D. Week activities emphasize the importance of giving back to those in need. Some past M.A.D. Week fundraising efforts have included those to raise money for students battling serious illnesses. Bartlesville High School 's M.A.D. Week is set from Oct. 27-31.
Though the theme for BHS homecoming activities this year is comic book heroes, the homecoming dance will be all about Bruin spirit and generally having fun.
“We're really working to generate school spirit,” says Staats. “Hopefully, the homecoming dance will get more kids involved.
“We hope this event will give more students a good place to go after the ballgame which is both safe and fun.”
Prior to the Bruins' homecoming match-up with Sand Springs, BHS will play host to its 2008 Homecoming Block Party in front of the main high school building. The BHS National Honor Society will organize the event, which is set from 5-7 p.m. All BHS clubs, organizations and teams are encouraged to take part in the event, which allows for celebration as well as fundraising opportunities.
Booth applications are available on the Bartlesville Public School District Web site – www.bps-ok.org . Once filled out, they should be returned to NHS sponsors Keri Bostwick or Stephanie Plant, both of whom can be contacted at 336-3311.
The annual homecoming parade is set to unfold on Thursday, Oct. 2. The event will feature a theme of “Let's Smash the Sandites,” and floats, trailers and banners will be designed with a comic book hero in mind. Any non-profit organization can participate.
Those who are interested in signing up to be part of the parade can visit the BPSD web site. A link to the application is available along the left side of the home page.
The theme of Bartlesville High School's 2008 homecoming festivities centers around comic book heroes. Pictured above is the front design of the Bruins' 2008 homecoming T-shirts.