By Riana Buchman and Sarah Westergren, Staff Writer and Photographer
// Only during Homecoming Week can students stroll through Hollywood Boulevard or cruise through Fifth Avenue while on their way to math class. Acalanes students kicked off Homecoming with hallway decorations on Monday, October 10.
Each grade was designated a different sub theme, with the freshmen waking up on the Vegas Strip, sophomores parading down Main Street USA, juniors touring Fifth Avenue, and seniors strutting like celebrities on Hollywood Boulevard.
While hallway decorating primarily occurred on the Monday, class officers spent months ordering supplies, planning “prep days”, and rallying the student body to become more involved.
“We’ve been really focusing on getting people to come, and I think it’s really paid off,” freshman Leadership student Madi Risch said. “We really tried to get things done beforehand template wise, like planning out which colors are which and making maps on where everything goes.”
Roughly 30 students from each grade helped Leadership students outline, cut, and paint decorations on prep days.
“We had to trace most of our decorations. Everything you see we had to trace before by projecting the images on a wall,” junior Vice President Hur-Ali Rizvi said.
Although many decorations were hand-made, Leadership ordered items such as posters and streamers with the $400 budget granted to each grade.
These online decorations accompanied student-made paintings and designs.
Many young artists contributed by painting murals and simple decorations such as walkways and cutouts, giving the streets more character and depth.
“I did the chalk in the front with the apple and skyline that says ‘Juniors.’ I also did some paintings along with the Tiffany’s storefront,” junior Anna Cain said.
Junior Ella Basaldua also added graffiti to the walls of Fifth Avenue, showcasing her calligraphy skills while expressing her creativity.
New Crew leaders lent a hand to the freshmen as well.
“The freshmen always kind of have a tough time starting because they’re new, and we have a little bit more experience from years before. We tend to help them in the beginning to get them in the groove, so they are able to figure out what to do,” New Crew member Sadie Austin said.
Some considered this help unfair, as most began as struggling freshmen themselves. One senior speculated the freshmen were just as good as the seniors with decorations, if not better.
Despite a difference of opinions, the day was a success for all grades. Some seniors were saddened as Homecoming marked the beginning of their final high school experience.
“It’s fun, but it’s also bittersweet because it’s the last one,” senior president Wesley Rosemont said.