Headlined by avid Homecoming court campaigns, royal ceremonies, a dedicated and well coordinated marching band, and a competitive musical chairs circuit, Homecoming 2022 is largely regarded as an overall success in igniting a sense of school spirit on a campus that otherwise seems to lack it. 

But, an event perpetually romanticized by Hollywood in the past, future, and back to it, school dances rarely measure up to their marvelous fairy-tale-esque expectations.

Under the reign of a new event planner (activities coordinator Gina Branch), a rainbow of optimism hummed over the Toby Roybal Gym/dance studio following the previously underwhelming dances that had been governed by the Coronavirus pandemic. 

In an almost rebellious fashion, a third of the Homecoming attendees aggressively congregated on the dance floor, as if to spit in the face of Covid by doing it to others. Toes were brutalized and elbows were flung in an endless brawl for real estate on the dance floor.

Dancers did manage to come into unison for a few classics, including the “Cupid Shuffle,” a variation of a Conga line, and an assortment of well known Kanye West songs. 

Although it didn’t quite match the Disney norm for school dances, many still had a spectacular time. Despite the dancers potentially lacking in technical skill, the energy on the dance floor was nothing less than nuclear for an astounding two and a half hours. At the center of the dance pit was junior Mateo Griego, who said, “I had the time of my life!”
The general consensus seems to be that the dance wasn’t necessarily a magical evening, one where immortal memories were made. Rather, the Homecoming dance provides structure for school spirit to thrive and outside-of-school-day gatherings to occur. First-time Homecoming participant Callie Trader said, “The dance wasn’t anything special, but I’m glad I went.”

By its very nature, Homecoming must be kept under strict security surrveilence, but an extra emphasis on safety was apparent this year. 

The night before, an Edgewood teen brandished a 9 mm pistol in an altercation with a SFHS student in the school parking lot during the Homecoming football game against Lovington, according to The Santa Fe New Mexican and a Remind message sent to the entire school by Principal Salazar-Garcia. Details remained unclear to eager dance attendees. This left parents and students alike on edge beforehand, something school officials wished to extinguish.

Safety precautions were also amplified in part by the persistent effort to increase resources and personnel to SFHS’ very own security detail.

Demon football lost the game to Lovington 55-8, where the Demons’ special teams unit accounted for the only points scored by the home squad. The offense remained virtually stagnant and the defense struggled through most of the game.