According to upperclassmen representatives in the Fountain Hills High School Student Government (STUGO), there is a desire for school spirit among the student body post-COVID-19. The students have dressed in themes for home football and volleyball games, everything from all black to neon, and this week the Falcons celebrate homecoming.

The homecoming celebration is not exclusive to students. The homecoming parade on Friday, Sept. 23, is open to the public, and there will be a free tailgate party following the parade and before kickoff at 7 p.m. There will be bounce houses for younger kids, the Army will be there with a pull up bar, Desert King Falconry will return for another pregame flyover, and local businesses’ Swette Ice Cream and Bachelor’s Pad BBQ will have food trucks at the tailgate.

STUGO brought back several traditions that will help raise school spirt. The Falcons will play powderpuff football for the first time in several years, and have a movie night and a homecoming parade for the first time in two years.

STUGO consolidated the after-school festivities on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Tonight, Wednesday, Sept. 21, the Falcons will play powderpuff football from 6 to 8 p.m., and then watch a movie on the field from 8 to 10 p.m.

Representatives from the Falcon football team will serve as captains for the powderpuff flag football teams. After the class versus class girls flag football games, the Falcons will watch the 2002 live-action “Scooby-Doo” movie on a large screen projector. Students will be allowed to move seating to the football field for the movie, but they won’t be allowed food on the field.

STUGO leadership wanted to spread events out over the week, but field reservations and athletic schedules presented challenges. The Falcon volleyball team had an away game yesterday, Tuesday, Sept. 20, and they host region opponent Wickenburg at home on Thursday, Sept. 22, at 6 p.m. The Falcon football team hosts region opponent Tempe (0-5) for the homecoming game on Friday at 7 p.m.

The homecoming parade will start at 5:30 p.m. Friday. The theme is “Paint the Town Blue,” and students will gather in the high school’s parking lot and march up toward Golden Eagle Park, loop around the school’s track and come back to where they started. Clubs, students and community members are all invited to the festivities.

“That’s definitely the whole point of it, just school spirt,” senior Audrey Alcorn said. “Its community based, so anybody can come out, but it’s going to be in the school.”

Homecoming is overseen by junior representatives in STUGO, and they will decorate the high school gym on Saturday morning for the dance. Most of the fundraising for homecoming was done through dance ticket sales, but STUGO also did a $10 senior parking spot drawing and charged a $5 fee for powderpuff player sign-ups.

Movie night and powderpuff admission is free, and all FHUSD students get into home football games for free with their student ID. Adult tickets are $5. The homecoming dance is Saturday, Sept. 24, from 8 to 11 p.m., and tickets were available in school.

STUGO representatives said they still miss their old traditions of selling bagels and muffins between first and second period, and having a homecoming bonfire, but they plan to get a fire permit for hoopcoming this winter. STUGO is confident that homecoming week will go well and raise school spirit, and after the last two years, they are happy to be moving in a positive direction.