As the leaves turn from a summery green to a robust autumnal orange, one of Flint Hill’s most notable Husky hallmarks rolls around: Homecoming!
Each year, Flint Hill hosts Homecoming from late September to early October, offering a weekend of games, traditions, and activities for Huskies of all ages. This year, Homecoming fell on the weekend of October 3-5, with the traditional Bonfire kicking it off Friday evening, and the Homecoming dance taking place Saturday night. This year, Homecoming weekend looked a bit different, with the Flint Hill Varsity Football game against Bullis following the Bonfire, rather than taking place midday Saturday. This allowed the Huskies to close out their Homecoming week “under-the-lights,” paying homage to this year’s Spirit Week theme. Leaving Saturday open, the Huskies had more time this year to get ready, organize pre-dance photos and dinner, and secure dance transport logistics.
At this year’s Bonfire, Huskies of all ages were able to spend time in the brisk Fall outdoors, enjoying the cool air while playing games. Following the signature lighting of the Bonfire, students, parents, and faculty alike shared in this community-building tradition that sets the year off strong. This year, after a football game against Bullis, the Huskies moved up to the middle school bleachers to watch the game under the-lights. Associate Director of College Counseling, Freshman Class Dean, and Flint Hill parent Andrew Kane shared some of his thoughts, saying “I loved the spirit and energy daily, from the games under the lights every night to the final football game on Friday, the week was great. It was great being with a broad swath of the community, from young to old. Also, the dance was a wonderful time for everyone involved.” I think it is safe to say that Kane speaks for all of us about the plentiful spirit last week, and let’s hope to keep it up in the week to come.
This year, the Husky Homecoming dance was a Masquerade-themed event with low lighting, dark red fabric, and a warm ambiance. This year, Flint Hill opened up the DJ position to student applicants, resulting in our first-ever student DJ, Senior Jack Ballinghoff. At Homecoming, Ballinghoff created a special setlist to ensure loads of fun, including, but not limited to, “Talk Talk” by Charli XCX and “Gnarly” by Katseye, two recent hits. Ballinghoff shared some of his thoughts regarding the night, saying “I was just trying to handle the whole night…it was a lot, but I learned to trust myself. It was, overall, a really fun, tiring experience…I would totally do it again. I actually got a job to do it again soon at an event, so I am super excited about that.” Homecoming with Ballinghoff as DJ was definitely an exceptional experience for all in attendance.
Overall, Homecoming was an absolute hit. Fueled by fun for everyone involved, Husky Homecoming is a celebratory time of year, and we can only hope to keep the tradition going as strong as it was this year.
