In preparation for one of Charter’s biggest events of the year, seventy-five days of tedious planning were dedicated to the creation of the 2025 Homecoming: A Night Under the Lanterns. From planning out the layout of the inside of the cafeteria, to assembling centerpieces, to meeting with the production manager, several moving parts came together the morning of Oct. 25.
All student government leaders entered the gates of school at eight in the morning to prepare for a day of transforming the inside of the cafeteria—but first they met in the familiar SGA room located in D210. Beginning the day with determined focus, committee heads went over the official homecoming presentation that detailed exactly all the tasks that needed to be completed.
Everyone split up into committees as each student prepared to complete their designated roles. From the breezeway all the way to the inside of senior square, hundreds of flowers and fairy lights were carefully hung. Walls and roofs were soon embellished with hundreds of yellow lanterns that were strategically folded and stapled together to form a perfect rectangle.
Food tables were decorated, and centerpieces were pieced together with vibrant yellow “sundrop” flowers that were placed in the middle of each table. Clever symbols from Rapunzel’s own home were intentionally placed as decorations to embody the true essence of the theme.
Another group dedicated their time to creating a tower from scratch using inspiration from the tower found in the movie Tangled. With the use of materials like banner paper, cardboard boxes, and yarn, a 16-foot-tall tower was hung on the way with lanterns carefully surrounding the building at a distance. Balloons were blown up and assembled together to create a balloon arch and multiple different photo opps were put together for students to take pictures.
Although visions were set and explained, there were certain setbacks that SGA had to overcome. “On the day of Homecoming, certain things like lighting and the DJ didn’t fully meet our expectations,” explained Senior Homecoming Co-Committee head Giana Marte. “Yet overall, it was an amazing event, and I can’t be prouder of what SGA could accomplish.” Using their creativity and initiative, SGA was able to provide solutions that allowed for a successful outcome.
After a total of seven hours of setting up and with the assistance of dozens of parent volunteers, custodians, and production employees, the space soon became unrecognizable. “It’s our last year at Charter, so we wanted it to be really special and memorable. It’s honestly just a privilege to have control of something as big as this, one of the major markers at the end of our journey,” shares Senior Homecoming Co-Committee head Xavier Reid-Morgan.
The endless hours dedicated to making this dance come to life was brought to fruit that same night along with the several months spent drawing out the visions for this event. With glowing lights, purple and yellow hues, and thoughtfully crafted decorations, SGA hoped to gift Jaguars an unforgettable night under the lanterns.
