Quietly, on Saturday, Oct. 25, Pembroke Pines Charter High School’s Student Government Association (SGA) hung lanterns from the ceiling, carefully placed flowers around the hallways, and mounted handcrafted towers onto the walls of the cafeteria. After months of planning, SGA turned Pines Charter into a Disney-inspired wonderland. Now, it was time for the students to come together and unite for a Night Under the Lanterns.
However, leading up to the esteemed night, it was not always lanterns and florals. SGA was never short of ideas, but was limited due to what was appropriate and followed the guidelines established by administrators. For example, SGA had originally hoped for the theme to be Arabian Nights, but conflicts led them to change.
Homecoming committee lead Xavier Reid-Morgan comments, “It was very hard to find a theme, and it’s also hard to get a theme approved and to find one that people can agree on, so there are a lot of things that go into it.”
After careful consideration, SGA landed on a theme that would light Pines Charter in a way that had never been done before: A Night Under the Lanterns. This enchanting theme came from the nostalgic childhood movie Tangled. While watching the movie back, the leadership class knew immediately that this was the theme to end 2025 with.
As the theme was revealed and ticket sales were revealed, it was now time for the traditional homecoming traditions to occur. Throughout the halls leading up to the night, whispers of “Who are you voting for Homecoming court?” and “What color is your dress?” echoed daily. It was the perfect time for not only romantic partnerships to come to light and be celebrated, but also the overall community at Charter.
But what the student body at Charter doesn’t realize is the bond that pulls Homecoming together. On the day of Homecoming, the day begins bright and early at 8 A.M. for SGA. Not only was this the largest leadership class they’ve had, but the most involved as well.
SGA advisor Mrs. Altimore comments that “…This year we actually had the most students that have ever participated in the event. While there are always glitches to the best of planning, the leaders rose to the occasion, planning an event that everyone enjoyed.”
After hours of endless planning and correspondence amongst the leaders, Homecoming 2025 was finally ready. The breezeway was transformed from a normal school outdoor hallway into a floral, whimsical entrance. Teachers were lined up in front of the curtains to log students in and direct them into the new wonderland SGA had created for them.
Students entered with their dresses flowing with every movement they made, and some with their suits fitted to a T. The cafeteria was surrounded by towers mimicking Rapunzel’s home, along with lanterns and purple lighting emanating from every corner. With the power of music, the excitement of experiencing Homecoming for some, and community, the student body of Charter became one.
After an hour of sharing moments of connection with friends and peers through dancing and laughter, it was time to announce the 2025 Homecoming court. With each couple that was announced, screams and cheers seemed to get louder and louder each time. For the winning couples, it stood not only as a testament of their connection to each other, but their commitment as well.
Senior homecoming queen Madison Jules explained with a bright smile on her face that “It felt surreal to have had the opportunity to share this experience with Caysen. I was definitely surprised, but I’m still so grateful. There’s no one else I’d rather win homecoming with!”
As the night was beginning to come to a close, the lights were still as bright as ever with their purple fluorescent lights and the DJ’s beats flowing through the atmosphere. Students were getting thrown into the air by their friends with ecstatic cheers and radiant smiles. Unfortunately, around 10 P.M., the unity that was shared between the students came to an end as SGA president Janeyliz Baez ended the night with a warm goodbye.
For Baez, as she was cleaning up the festivities and taking in the environment that she worked endlessly in order to perfectly embody, it all hit her. After four years of setting up Homecoming, it was now the end of her last one as President.
In her eyes, “…being in the event dressed up, running around in heels, making sure that everything was working out and all the lights were right, that’s just part of the job. And honestly, I couldn’t be more grateful to have it.”
As the lights are turned off, the decorations are packed up, and the student body heads home, Homecoming 2025 has officially come to an end. However, the memories that were made on the dance floor, screaming the lyrics in unison, and the smiles exchanged from friend group to friend group are forever engraved in Charter.
