Every year on the Friday before the homecoming dance, Stugo members are running around to make the events that they have spent weeks organizing come to life. From before 7 a.m. to halftime of the homecoming game, sometimes even later, these kids are going non-stop to make sure everything is running smoothly and the school is ready for the dance on Saturday.

Since last May, preparations for homecoming have been the focal point of student council. This is the largest event they organize all year.

“They have a project where they kind of do a shark tank in which they pitch ideas [for the theme] and we have a bracket where we narrow it down,” Stugo Advisor Kelley Cusmano said. “It takes about two weeks depending. It is intense because people get really passionate about what they like.”

After picking the theme the year prior, the kids are put into committees based on their skills. Once students are put into their committees, they spend weeks discussing ideas, making plans, writing scripts, and solving problems that may arise.

“Most people’s hardest events come at the end of the year but if you’re in student leadership your hardest event is in the beginning of the year,” Mrs. Cusmano said. “So you have to be able to hit the ground running with very little direction and a lot of me trusting you, and that’s hard when I don’t necessarily know you yet.”

In order to make sure the committees are on task, Mrs. Cusmano works with the Executive Board (E-Board). The E-Board consists of seniors President Paige Gonterman, Vice-President Luke Kastran, Secretary Dean Tanglos and Treasurer Lauren Wegener. They function as the “managers” of all the committees and stay on top of everything that happens.

“Even though they have different positions they all help with making sure everyone gets their jobs done,” Gonterman said. “Luke also helps with that a ton, making sure that once we’re done with one committee, we work with another committee. We’re doing those other kinda last minute things that pop up or when issues arise they’re all there making sure that we work together to shut down any issues that happen.”

When it comes to spirit week, all hands are on deck as all the committees are working to finally put their plans into action. On Friday seniors might even end up missing their last homecoming game to stay inside to decorate for the dance.

“They just pretty much have to give up their life,” Mrs Cusmano said. “I know that sounds horrible, but they have to be here in the morning, they have to be here after school, they have to give up their lunch. They haven’t eaten lunch with anybody in two weeks, but definitely [spirit week]. Seniors can’t go out, they have to all stay in.”

Stugo members that have joined after their freshman year admit that they didn’t know how intensive homecoming could really be.

“I heard about it and I knew it was hard, but it’s so much different when you’re in it and you’re engaged in that whole week, because it’s totally different,” Senior Dena Pappas said. “That whole week, my whole next week will be student council and that is it. It revolves around homecoming that week.”

Despite the work that goes into it, Gonterman and others agree that it pays off, especially on the day of the pep assembly.

“I think most student council kids can agree with this, but it is so fun to be in the action, seeing your event come alive, see all the work you’ve been doing for weeks put into action and happening,” Gonterman said. “It’s kinda like the flower you’ve planted is finally blooming now. It’s so exciting.”