Homecoming dance

by Xylia Manriquez 

Fresno High School is all about traditions, and this year, the Class of 2024 and 2025 decided to usher in a new tradition, a Homecoming Dance, held in Warrior Park, to kick off the start of Homecoming Week.  

This new addition, which was added to the other well-known events such as dress-up days and the rally, was something Activities Director Mrs. Melissa Bangerter and Co-Class of 2024 Adviser Ms. Michelle Kosmosky (both Fresno High alumna) had envisioned for quite a few years. Enter Co-Class of 2024 Adviser Ms. Mianne Sciacqua with her crazy ideas about dancing, food sales, cake walks, costume contests, and games, and the student body ended up with was a cross between Prom and a carnival. 

The Fresno High School Disney Themed “A Night in the Park” Homecoming Dance was held in Warrior Park on September 19, 2022. The evening lasted from 6-9 pm. For the guests, FHS’s Black Student Union provided pork sliders and mac n cheese and Latino Interact offered tacos, beans, rice, and horchata. For those who loved making memories, there was a Disney castle backdrop with a balloon arch. Two Disney inspired cut-out signs were ready for people to take selfies. There was a DJ for dancing, two different contests: the best Disney costume and the best Disney T-shirt, yard games, and the cake walk, which, surprisingly, was a surprise hit. It’s like musical chairs except nobody gets out. Students walked in a circle and when the music stopped, hopefully one was standing on the “magic” cake number, and the cakes looked so good.  

“This was quite a surprise,” Ms. Sciacqua revealed. “We were hoping for around 150 students, and over 250 tickets were sold. Students came in costumes, shorts, jeans, tuxes, ballgowns, onesies—students even arrived via a limo. Obviously, this was a much-needed outing for our students.”