Chloe Hanigan
Sugar Beet staff reporter
The tradition surrounding dances at Garden City High School is that there is no tradition. From Sadie Hawkins style homecomings to a spring luau, each year brings a new twist on the age-old tradition of school dances. Last year, however, GCHS kept the festivities to a minimum with only a casual fall homecoming dance and prom. This year, students can expect the same. There will be no dance to round off homecoming week this winter.
For juniors and seniors who enjoyed two or three dances during their first years of high school, not including prom, the recent cutbacks on dances are saddening.
“I am definitely disappointed that as a senior I won’t get to have a winter homecoming,” Ryleigh Whitehurst, a trade and health academy senior, said. “It’s fun getting together all dressed up and dancing.”
Whitehurst, who is also a leading member of student council, noted that, though she hopes it will not, it is possible that not having the dance could hinder school spirit.
“There is nothing to look forward to at the end of the week,” Whitehurst said, “but we have planned spirit days and hope that people participate.
Sandra Naeve, the zero hour student council advisor, agreed that not having a dance makes homecoming week difficult.
“Teachers voted and we had the royalty presentation on Wednesday, but it is my opinion that if we don’t have a dance, we shouldn’t have a court.”
There have been many rumors surrounding the reason that administration decided against a winter dance. The most popular among these is that student behavior at fall homecoming prompted a suspension of school-sanctioned dances. However, these rumors do not tell the full story.
“There are many reasons we are not having a winter dance,” Steve Nordby, Garden City High School’s head principal, said. “The robotics club is having a huge tournament during the day and then the show choir Valentine’s Day fundraiser is using the commons area at night.”
Nordby added that finding adult chaperones for the dance proved difficult and that problems at the last dance were a factor, though they were “lower on the list.”
Nordby also pointed out that for some years, there were no dances besides prom.
“I brought the dances back because I think it is important to give students a safe place to have fun,” Nordby said. “The winter homecoming dance is hard to schedule and it didn’t work out this year, but we will always continue to have dances at GCHS.”
Chloe Hanigan is a trade and health academy senior. Contact her at haniganc@student.gckschools.com.
Garden City High School 