“It’s a great day to be a Blazer!”
That’s the Overland High School motto and it was especially true on Sept. 20, the day of the school’s 2023 homecoming parade.
“It’s all really exciting,” said senior and Student Council Vice-President Kaitlyn Alcaraz, as hundreds of students prepared to parade through the neighborhoods around the school. “I love how the community comes together. All the clubs come out. We all get to dress up. It’s super fun.”
Overland is one of the most diverse schools in the state, with students from myriad countries and cultures. Teacher and Student Council sponsor Dana Hansen says that diversity is one of the best things about working at Overland.
“I love getting to be around kids from such different backgrounds,” she said as the parade prepared to step off. “I feel like I learn something every single day. The group that we have here - they all have such cool experiences and cool things to share with each other and with us. It’s really fun to be a part of.”
The homecoming parade highlighted that vibrant diversity. Some students wore clothing that represented their cultures – the Indian kurta or long tunic, the hijab, a headscarf worn by Muslim women, the colorful Mexican huipil or skirt. Many students walked with clubs representing their culture, such as the Chinese Club, Spanish Club, Asian American Pacific Islander Alliance, or Muslim Student Association.
Other students joined the parade with school-related groups, including the Drama Club and the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), or traditional high school groups, such as the marching band and spirit squad. Some groups built colorful floats, and others, like the OHS Step Team, performed for families, friends, and community members along the parade route.
The theme for this year’s homecoming was “Spotify Wrapped,” and the Blazers celebrated with a week of fun events and activities.
“Yesterday there was an advanced acting show and today there’s the tailgate, and at lunch there’s been karaoke and so there’s been different events that we helped plan and people can participate in,” explained freshman Kiera Mann, who helped plan those events.
Homecoming week wrapped up with a football game on Thursday and a dance on Friday. While students celebrated the school’s rich diversity throughout the week, that was only half of the homecoming equation. Unity was the other half, and students and staff alike shared their Blazer pride and passion.
“Everybody’s just together,” Alcaraz said.
Posted 9/25/2023.
