Fall 2025

Make Homecoming Fun Again: How SVHS Can Bring Back the Excitement 

By- Amelia Falsone

Homecoming used to be one of the most exciting times of the school year. It was a week full of spirit days, pep rallies, football games, and memories that last for years after. Although homecoming week itself hasn’t changed, the students' expressive emotions towards these events has shown significant differences. Homecoming at Schuylkill Valley took place Saturday, September 20th in the high school cafeteria. The week was filled with exciting events but the school spirit was not there nearly as much as it could have been. The spirit days went unnoticed, the pep rally barely raised excitement and the dance caught the attrition of most for roughly 20-30 minutes.  Homecoming itself is no different than it has been, but the students attending and their attention spans are. The digital world we live in is changing how students socialize and interact with each other. A lot of students would rather hang out online or at smaller get- togethers rather than big school events. It is nothing anyone is doing wrong, maybe it just needs to change with the times.

In recent years, many students have stopped going to homecoming or leaving earlier, saying it's not exciting and feels repetitive. So what are some ways SV can help fix that? One big thing is the excitement leading up to the dance itself. The themes could use more creativity. Spirit week sets the tone for homecoming, but when the same few themes happen every year students can lose interest. SV could try adding cool.new themes in order to increase student involvement, specifically themes geared towards frequent social media trends. Another thing we could do as a school community is include more inclusive activities. Not every student enjoys dances or football games , but the school could plan alternative events such as outdoor movie nights, talent shows, etc. to get people excited for the week. Lastly, our school needs to incorporate more student involvement. Yes, the student council helps to plan the fun event, but if we could expand bigger to the entire school community it will generate new ideas and themes from a wide variety of students to increase the turn out of students at the dance. The key is to keep the dance  simple , inclusive, and full of spirit. Homecoming is to celebrate each - not just dressing up for the night which may students miss. Homecoming can still be one of the best parts of the school year- it just needs to evolve. With fresh ideas, more inclusivity, and a focus on genuine fun, our school can bring back the excitement and make something each and every student looks forward to again.

I Hold the Universe in the Palm of My Hand

I am a memory in the making

A child, sister, mother, aunt, grandmother, and great-grandmother

One day, I am a black and white picture in a frame

A face with no name

I have been shaped by warm hands of love

Rolling dough, baking in the kitchen

The love of a mother who gives me a lick of raw batter

Who sneaks me a chocolate chip to snack on from the bag

Who bundles me up when the tip of my nose is cold from the late autumn breeze

A mug of hot cocoa waits for me, steaming with sweet aromas that infiltrate my nostrils

Dirt-filled fingernails from mud pies and long days in the gardens

That have raised cups of tea with pinkies up

That have surfed through the wind out the car window

That have shielded my baby blue eyes from the sunrays that tickle my skin

Soft hands of empathy

They hold me when my vision is blurred

While my body silently shakes

When I can take this world no longer, they show me I am not alone

I am felt and seen, heard and understood

They share my grief, pain, anguish, and joy

Calloused hands of hard work

They hold power tools and weld together heavy metals with a fire of passion

They lift heavy weights of new goals and records

I push my body harder, faster, I am stronger

I clench my pen so hard that the final stroke lets the ink run dry

I feel the soreness that will later be replaced by strength

Trembling hands of sorrow

When I am broken up with

When my lover is off to a better place

But the best place to be is right here with me

When I have nothing left but the onyx abyss

Trembling hands with a trembling heart

All over again, we have to start

Scarred hands of hurt

The lick of a flame scorches my soul 

The prick of a pin makes the bed of my finger bleed

The tear of a splinter makes me look away and count to three

Hurt hands that have mistakenly hurt others 

But I am bandaged, healed anew

Life goes on, and you do too

Wrapped hands

Of accidents and mistakes

Of mishaps and discoveries

My skin blisters and knits itself back together

Fresh baby smooth skin

Not yet adapted to the innocence lost later in life

Pure and fresh is my flesh 

Clenched fists of anger

When I am so angry, that I am weak

When my fingernails make me bleed

Sharp as razors, too, are my words

My cheeks go red, I am flustered with fury

Why do your words affect me so much?

Clammy palms of guilt

A tell-tale sign that you are up to no good

The red velvet box in your pocket almost gives you away

Down on one knee, you go, and I jump to the heavens in the sky

My voice cries out in the valley 

Tears stream down our faces

 I only know pure bliss

Chilled fingers of loneliness

I cling to your spirit

 I begin to forget the color of your eyes

It terrifies me, and I am in anguish

I grip onto your ghost, but there is no solidity

I am left with an emptiness, a hole in my heart

Tentative hands

Stroke mine

They travel up my arms and settle on my shoulders

I love you, you whisper, and it sends chills down my spine

We are infinite

Something to last forever

A love story of the ages

 Fingertips tingling with anticipation and opportunity

Ours to grasp and hold onto with all our might

Withered hands of wisdom

They come with age and a lifetime of stories

Of mistakes made and lessons learned

Countries traveled, plane tickets purchased

A lover’s stroke of the thumb

The passing of time tells me that the day is soon to come

But we ignore it for now and live boldly and love loudly

Although it has become second nature for people to compare themselves to others, it is important not to. Whether it be a physical, mental, or materialistic comparison, comparing anything about yourself or your life to someone else is unfair to you and can cause pain. People were not all made to act the same, look the same, or experience the same things, but that is what is supposed to make us strong. The diversity in the way we look, behave, and approach life is what keeps the world advancing, as it tries to accommodate everyone. Individuality is good, and being yourself should not be something to be ashamed of. 

If you find yourself feeling envious of someone else, whether for the way they look or an item they own, take a moment to reflect on what you have and find the good. It may be easier said than done, but stay positive and don’t limit yourself to being like someone else when you believe that will make life easier. Even if you envy the experiences of others, know that your experiences are important to make you you. Your time will come when it is right. 

“Don’t compare yourself to others. There’s no comparison between the sun and the moon; they shine when it’s their time.” (Yang Jeongin) Comparing yourself to others may be painful and seem like a normal thing to do, but you should work towards replacing those thoughts with more positive ones. Remember that your life is taking the course it’s supposed to and there is always time to reach your goals, but don’t compare yourself to the rate anyone else is going at. Your timing may seem off, but you are where you need to be. Let yourself be you! 

Mandy Torok