The Spirit Week leading up to the Homecoming football game is a highlight for many Menlo students. From the dress-up days to the lunchtime activities, the school transforms into an excited and spirited community that’s ready to cheer on its sports teams. However, with Homecoming and Spirit Week being some of Menlo’s most prominent traditions, there is debate surrounding specific aspects. Four of our staff members explain their opinions on a wide array of Homecoming-related traditions, including dress-up days, the girls’ flag football game and the Homecoming dance.
In this story, Copy Editor Annie Stent highlights the environmental and financial concerns that arise from relying on Amazon to dress up for Spirit Week.
“To promote spirit and general enthusiasm, every day of Spirit Week has a different dress-up theme. While the sequin tube tops and sparkly tutus hold some of my favorite memories from the past years, Spirit Week dress-up days generate problematic overconsumption and promote fast fashion.”
Community Relations Director Alea Marks and Head Copy Editor Erica Fenyo debate the inherent sexism, coaching responsibilities and more about the girls flag football tradition.
“While the week of Menlo’s Homecoming is filled with activities, dress-up days and pep assemblies to promote school spirit, the week’s main event is the Homecoming football game on Saturday. To bring the focus back to football, one of the lunches before Homecoming is traditionally devoted to a girls’ flag football game between the juniors and seniors. The boys football team serves as the
The class of 2022 girls football team celebrates their victory in last year’s contest. Photo courtesy of Michaela Courand (Michaela Courand)
coaches and many upperclassmen girls participate. While many see the tradition as a fun way to advertise the Homecoming game and create community within the school, others express a more critical perception of the tradition, classifying it as sexist and outdated. As both Coat of Arms staff members and players on the girls’ flag football team, we discuss the implications, both positive and negative, of the tradition.”
In this article, Arts & Lifestyle Editor Kaylie Wu discusses student opinions and supports her own assertion that the Homecoming dance should be a formal event.
“Every year, Menlo rallies the school together with a packed week of Homecoming festivities. Students are encouraged to dress up in themed spirit costumes, compete in activities on the quad during lunch and attend the Homecoming football game at the end of the week.
Staff illustration: Sutton Inouye
While these traditions match those of other nearby high schools, Menlo’s Homecoming dance differs from the local norm. The post-football game dance at Menlo is casual, meaning students, for the most part, do not attend with dates or dress in formal attire; this contrasts many other schools in the area, such as Menlo-Atherton, Woodside and Saint Ignatius — all of which opt for formal dances. Menlo should switch its Homecoming dance to similarly be formal so that the school can truly fulfill its goal of uniting the student body.”
Favorite aspect of journalism: writing about topics I'm passionate about, like music.
Interests outside of school: working at Tin Pot Creamery, baking, and dancing.
Class of 2023
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