Every year the homecoming season brings with it three events to BVN. While the homecoming dance and football game are both staples of the season, there’s also the homecoming parade. Clubs and groups at BVN design floats and prepare to represent their interests for the parade. But how much work goes into creating these floats and the preparations?
Sophomore Jacinda Gold shared her role in constructing the cross-country float.
“My family built a shoe for the cross country parade, and they built it out of a lot of materials, so my coaches are kind of making me the leader, or one of the leaders, for painting it and deciding times and colors,” Gold said.
Gold also shared the process of how cross-country leadership and float designs were decided.
“We actually got a few [cross country kids], and we made a group chat for a committee,” Gold said. “They would come up with a bunch of ideas, and then we’d all vote on one. We voted on a Kansas City Skyline. We also did that with colors, and that kind of helped us decide the theme and what we are gonna paint.”
Senior Gabi Hinson also talked about how themes for the basketball team’s float are decided.
“Usually the parents would pick because it would match the homecoming [theme],” Hinson said when discussing the upcoming float for the basketball team.
“So homecoming this year is… Night in the City. Our homecoming float would be something about Night in the City and mixing it with basketball.”
Hinson and Gold shared how they get people to help build the floats.
“Usually we just say it’s for team bonding and the team gets along,” Hinson said.
Gold said that the cross-country team shared a similar approach to convince people to work on float construction.
“It was a fun activity that we could do outside of practice, and my friends could join, other people’s friends could join in, it could be a fun opportunity for more people to get connected,” Gold said.
Gold became a leader for her team and created the cross-country float alongside her parents and teammates.
“I think it was more like my family [wanted to get involved], like my dad and mom. They really wanted to contribute,” Gold said. “Once [the team] got started on it, it made me feel good about being a big part of the team. It also feels good to be a leader for the team, and be an important person for the homecoming parade,” Gold said.
Gold shared that being a leader for the float came with some stress.
“It has been a little bit stressful, just because I’ve had to gather people to be on the committee, and then to pick colors and then designs. And then I feel like some of that falls on me, but a lot of the cross country kids are willing to help too, so that makes it easier,” Gold said.
Despite the challenges that came with preparing for the parade, Hinson looked forward to it.
“My favorite part is I usually get to pick the music, so it’s really fun picking the songs that we play. I also really like decorating and painting, and I also like the bonfire at the end,” Hinson said.
Gold shared similar enthusiasm about the parade.
“All the kids are so excited and happy, and it’s a very joyful atmosphere,” Gold said. And you’re just throwing candy on the street, and I feel like it’s a fun time to just walk around and see how it shows our community, and it shows how many people get involved with it. So it’s a fun time.”
