The smell of fresh spray paint and crafting materials mixes with the constant chatter as students work on their designated tasks. Weeks before the homecoming dance Oct. 25, Student Council (StuCo) operates as a full-scale workshop and planning center dedicated to building the “Wizard of Oz” themed set pieces, including a 10 foot tall tin man and a massive Emerald City through daily after school construction shifts.
Senior student body president Laura initiated the shift from purchasing homecoming decorations to StuCo self-producing the set last year as homecoming funds other school activities.
“I think part of actually building the structures is it reduces the budget,” Narvaez said. “I think we can build fuller pieces than you can buy for a much cheaper price. I think this year’s homecoming is coming out to about $1,000, maybe a little over.”
The process relies on Narvaez’s months-old original blueprints. The planning began long before the school year.
“The theme was inspired a lot by the seniors last year,” Narvaez said. “At the end of the year we have a big student council retreat where we all go to Camp Champions, and there’s a whole time period where we just bring different homecoming ideas together. Then we all vote and we decide. I honestly think this theme was something that they must have found on an Instagram reel or something.”
Once the theme of “Wizard of Oz” and the slogan, “No place like homecoming” were finalized, the hands-on work began. StuCo transformed online inspiration into a towering physical reality, creating cardboard pillars that they coated several times with green spray paint to bring out the true emerald city experience.
“It’s a big project,” Narvaez said. “We wanted to start it like early on because Homecoming comes a lot [sooner] than you think. We started [building] a month ago, and then it’s two-hour builds every day after school.”
The building process is not only open to StuCo members but is also open to all students to help with homecoming preparation and earn service hours.
“Last year I was able to actually be present during more of the actual builds,” Narvaez said. “But this year I have rehearsal every day after school, so I’m delegating it out to other people.
While current student leaders have worked through the complex ins and outs of event design and construction, the long-term execution of the custom built setup faces leadership challenges down the line. Narvaez herself is the only member who has taken the task of hand drawing the blueprint designs and running the show.
“I don’t know what Homecoming is going to look like next year,” Narvaez said. “At least designing the blueprints is kind of an odd thing that I’m not sure who would take on next year, but I’ll say it could definitely happen.”