Homecoming Week as the 2019 to 2020 IB Sweetheart!
Senior Homecoming Honor!
Every fall, Carrollton High School celebrates Homecoming! It's a week filled with dressing up, spirit, celebration, and honor. This year's Homecoming was extra special, for it was my very last one; my senior Homecoming in which I would be honored. During Homecoming, all the clubs and organizations at our school choose a Sweetheart, one significant senior to represent their entire group, for the whole school system and community to see and honor during that week's Homecoming Friday. It is a very special week that the whole school looks forward to every year!
This year, my senior Homecoming, I was chosen as the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program Sweetheart! It was such an incredible honor as I got to represent the school, my IB family, and the well-rounded, open-minded, and worldly program known as IB.
Sunday: Homecoming Trojan Wars Kickoff
After painting, some friends and I got on the huge bouncy-house course and jumped among the wild children, laughing and falling as we went. Then, we headed home, and I picked out my outfit for Monday's theme.
Monday: Athletes vs Mathletes
For Monday's theme, I chose athlete attire, wearing my volleyball sweats of Trojan themed sweatpants, sweatshirt, Nike socks, sandals, and sweatbands. I looked like an athlete ending their long day of tournament games all ready to head home.
I took pictures with some friends and my mom and enjoyed the day in some comfy clothes.
Tuesday: TV vs Movie
Tuesday, I coordinated my outfit with my friend Haley. We chose movie and dressed up as Lion King! I wore my fluffy lion onesie with some black converse and acted as Simba, while Haley dressed as Zazu with a a blue shirt, paper-made beak, and colorful paper tail-feathers. It was really fun to walk around school in some fancy lion pajamas with my little bird friend.
Wednesday: Country vs Preppy
I decided to become my complete opposite on Wednesday when I dressed in a very country-girl outfit. I wore a jean skirt, a red and blue flannel, and some cowgirl boots, braiding my hair into two pigtail braids and adding some jewelry. I got to become a Georgia cowgirl for a day as I took on the theme of country!
During fourth block Wednesday, I went to the art room with Haley to make my senior crown for Friday. Every year, the seniors keep alive the tradition of wearing a paper crown of their own making on Homecoming day, going to Burger King to pick up a template and then decorating it anyway they want. I spray-painted mine black and decorated it in gold and silver paint-pens and glitter. I loved the way it turned out and will definitely keep it forever!
After school, we had a Homecoming practice on the football field. All the Sweethearts got together in the order we would have to be in on Friday and made sure our names and everything was pronounced correctly and looked great.
After school, we had a Homecoming practice on the football field. All the Sweethearts got together in the order we would have to be in on Friday and made sure our names and everything was pronounced correctly and looked great.
Thursday: Past vs Future
Thursday was a big day at the Bush Family household as we had to prepare for my big day. Upon finding out about my IB Sweetheart achievement and learning of the day in which I would be honored in front of the Carrollton City School System and community, my Aunt Alex, a former IB student in her youth herself, immediately planned to come up from Florida to be there. Bringing her boyfriend Andrew and my younger cousins Aidan and Charlie with her, they planned to arrive Thursday afternoon.
Before their arrival, we went to school and I chose the theme of the past. I dressed up as a chill girl from the 1970s in my flared bluejeans, flowing blue shirt, and brown platform sandals. I wore my hair in wavy pigtails with real daisies entwined with the hair-ties and lots of dangly jewelry.
After school, we headed home only to find out the family had arrived early! They got to see us all dressed up in our Homecoming costumes and showered us, especially their Sweetheart, with love.
That night, our seamstress came by with my newly fitting dresses for the formal events tomorrow. I tried them on and made sure everything looked great for tomorrow, showing my mom and Aunt the finished products. We loved everything and couldn't wait for tomorrow!
Friday's Homecoming Day: The Main Events!
Friday was the big day! Alex came to school with mom, Zooey, and I so she could see the first event of the day in which I was honored: the Homecoming pep-rally. On the way, we stopped at Starbucks to get some breakfast, a Mango-Dragonfruit Refresher and croissant for me, and then arrived at the high school. Mom and I showed Alex around before it was time for me to get my hair done.
All Ready To Go & Hair Appointments: The Lavender Dress
For the pep-rally, I was already all dressed and ready to be introduced. I wore a classy lavender dress with black and white platform shoes and my senior crown in addition to my gold jewelry. My hair appointment was during first block in which I headed over to one of the teachers at the school who was doing hair for some of the Sweethearts. She curled all of my hair in big waves before braiding a small section back with the rest dropping off into a curled low ponytail. It looked lovely!
The Pep-rally & Sweetheart Reveal
After my appointment, I headed over to second block before the pep-rally started. I had the IB class get together for a picture before they released the Sweethearts, and when they did, the fellow Sweethearts and I walked down to the stadium together, sitting in an assigned section of the bleachers in our crowns and dresses.
When the whole school settled in the stadium and the event began, all the Sweethearts got in order on the track as they began to read off our names and titles. They announced who I was as Madison Bush Sweetheart of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program! It was great as my friends, family, and teachers cheered for me as I waved and smiled!
After everyone had been introduced, the Sweethearts headed back to the stands to watch the rest of the pep-rally as the class of 2020 won the spirit stick and superlatives were announced. When it ended and the dancing of the students and teachers, one of which was my amazing mom, and cheering had stopped, the Sweethearts and other parade participants were released to prepare, taking some pictures with my mom, Alex, friends, and teachers on the way out.
Getting Ready For The Parade: The Gold Dress
To get ready for the parade, I headed up to my mom's classroom, inviting Genny, the Sweetheart of my club Friends of Rachel, to come up with us to have a place to get ready as well. My Aunt Mary, who would drive me along with my mom and sister in the parade, brought chicken nuggets and lemonade from Chick-fil-A for lunch before I was to get changed.
After eating, I headed to the bathroom to change into my dress for the parade. It was a long, shining dress of sparkling gold fabric that was perfect for the warm, sunny parade ride throughout the school system.
I paired my dress with black high-heels and gold jewelry, replacing my glasses with contacts and makeup. When I was ready to go, we shuffled into the elevator to head into my Aunt Mary's convertible, driving to the parade waiting area to find our spot behind the elementary school.
The 2019 Homecoming Parade!
Once we were all positioned and just waiting until the parade began, I got out of the car and helped put my IB Sweetheart Trojan head signs, made specially by Haley in National Art Honor Society, of matching gold glitter onto the car doors to show the parade's crowd what program I was representing.
Then, I met up with some friends to take pictures and talk before the parade took off. After pictures, I got resettled onto the back-end of the open car and prepared to smile and wave.
Once the cars started moving and we got around the first bend before the main crowd, I immediately started to recognize people and get my pictures taken. I was showered with complements and love as I got to represent my IB family and the IB culture.
As I waved to old teachers and friends, we started nearing the end of the parade. On the last stretch stood my dad, Aunt Alex, Andrew, and my cousins! They yelled and cheered for me, taking videos and pictures as we moved. Aidan kept yelling how he wanted to get in with me and mom snatched him up for him to join us; it was fantastic!
When the parade finished, Aunt Mary dropped us off, and I took more pictures with some friends, teachers, and family before heading inside to get my stuff and leave for home to change for the Homecoming game that evening.
Heading Home To Change For The Evening: The Blue Dress
Once home, I had to immediately change into my next formal gown for my final introduction to the community, schools, parents, and students. I redid my makeup, keeping my contacts in, and changed into my flowing gown of elegance and baby-blue. I let my hair down and had Alex recurl some sections of my long hair. I then packed a change of clothes for after the Sweetheart ceremony before leaving with dad, who would be my escort in a matching black and baby-blue suit, to head for the high school's cafeteria.
The Sweetheart Ceremony
When we arrived, dad and I headed up to the lunchroom where we would wait until the next event began. They had a professional photographer there to take our pictures with bouquets and boutonnières of sunflowers for the women to hold and the men to wear. After an individual and a father-daughter photo, dad and I sat with my friend Taylor and her father talking until mom, Zooey, and Aidan surprised us and took some more family photos with us. After that, they left to claim a good spot in the stadium with the rest of the family.
After a little bit, we started getting in order to walk down to the football field. Sweethearts were given an individual sunflower to cradle, mine of which I still have to this day, as we walked out of the cafeteria and down to the starting spot, myself clutching dad's arm on the way down to prevent tumbling down the hill.
When we were finally down the hill and waiting for the ceremony to begin, photographers walked by and snapped shots of the special moment before the announcers began and started honoring the first of the Sweethearts. When dad and I were finally up there and ready for our turn, we held on to each other and listened for my name and Sweetheart title. As we were introduced, we walked through he JROTC and their raised swords, numerous pictures being taken of us from the front and above.
After our honorable walk and introduction to the whole crowd, we stood in a line with the other Sweethearts until all were named. Before we exited the track, I took a group picture with my IB friends who were Sweethearts of other clubs and a few pictures with my teacher Marsha Hook. Then, we left the football field and headed behind the stadium for more pictures with friends and family before heading inside to change to watch the game.
The Homecoming Football Game
I changed into a short, burnt-yellow spaghetti-strapped and ribbed dress and my Dr. Martens Nartilla Sandals. I put my glasses and senior crown back on and tied up my hair for the rest of the night. Mom and I then went to sit with the group and watch the game, taking pictures with my teacher Mark McCormick and my cousin Megan who we found along the way.
When we found the family and settled in, we watched for a bit until wanting some treats from concessions. Aidan, Megan, mom, and I all headed to the area and got some popcorn, candy, and Powerade. I saw my IB junior friend Mikenli and took some pictures with her before bumping into some of my mom's students and getting to hold a little puppy the size of my hand!
Back in our seats, we watched the football game go on, the Trojans totally beating the other team with Aidan cheering like a true Trojan the whole time, until Halftime. We watched the show and saw who was crowned Homecoming queen before heading home, finding out later that we did in fact win our Homecoming game and picking up some fries and chicken wings for dinner. It was the perfect end to a long and truly incredible day!
Saturday: Family Lake Day
The next morning, we didn't want my celebration and events to end, so we all went over to my Aunt Mary and Megan's house for a little lake party. We ate veggie burgers and chips while listening to music and dancing the afternoon away, jumping and swimming in the lake whenever we wanted to. It was an absolute blast as I got to spend time with both my Georgian and Floridian family who did so much to make me feel special and honor me!
Sunday: The End Of Senior Homecoming For The IB Sweetheart & Six Flags (Again)
That afternoon, when everyone had left and it was just the four of us again, mom and I decided to go to Six Flags for Fright Fest. We walked around the park and reminisced about all the fun we had had, running through the haunted areas and screaming at the spooky character actors preparing for Halloween.
What A Wonderful Week!
My senior Homecoming was everything I could have ever wished for as it was full of love, celebration, laughter, family, friends, teachers, fancy dresses, costumes, crowns, and partying within each event dedicated to the brilliant Sweethearts. I was so honored to be recognized in my school and community as the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program Sweetheart. The IB is such a prestigious and complex program known around the world for its passionate, intelligent, and reflective students, and I was so grateful to be the symbol of all that the IB works for and more. Having my family be there for me at every event made everything even more special as they got to support all of my achievements! I will never forget this amazing week as it marked my senior year for greatness!
Comments
Post a Comment