On Friday, Oct. 3, Archie Williams hosted its annual Homecoming Dance, the first dance of the 2025-26 school year. The “Golden Hour”-themed dance concluded the school’s first spirit week of the year, following the “California Dreamin” theme with a vibrant finale. The dance took place from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Archie Williams main and small gyms, with doors officially closing at 8 p.m.
Accentuating the dance’s theme, the Archie Williams Carl “Red” Brown Gymnasium displayed an assortment of sunset-colored lighting and decorations. Similar to past years, the main gym featured a live DJ set and dance floor, while the small gym hosted games and activities, including foosball, air hockey, a photo booth, and a table with snacks. The Archie Williams Associated Student Body (ASB) assigned each grade a color corresponding with the “Golden Hour” theme to wear to the dance, with freshmen in orange, sophomores in blue, juniors in yellow, and seniors in pink.
For Archie Williams freshman Lauren Stoughton, the Homecoming Dance was her first high school dance. Lauren compared her experience to other dances she has attended in the past.
“This dance is so much better than [middle school]. There are a lot more people dancing. I think the theme was a really good idea, but I didn’t love the colors,” Lauren said.
(Ellen Winter)
Archie Williams sophomore Leo Talrevis appreciates the planning by ASB and the Archie Williams administration that went into the dance’s unique theme. He felt the two groups had improved the dance compared to years prior.
“This Homecoming is better than [last year’s]. The [theme] is just better put together, and everyone is dancing,” Leo said.
To ensure a safe environment, school administrators, along with police officers and private security, oversaw the event and conducted random breathalyzer tests as students entered the gym. Additionally, Peer Resource (PR) leadership students trained as “Safe Leaders” were available to support anyone in distress. Wearing glowing heart necklaces, the Safe Leaders were easily identifiable to students who needed support or felt uncomfortable during the dance.
(Ellen Winter)
Archie Williams senior and PR member Riley Whitman trained to be a Safe Leader at the dance, helping to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all attendees.
“Our job as PR is to make a safe environment for everyone. The glowing heart necklaces are super easy to see, and they just [allow for] everyone to have fun, knowing we are here to help each other,” Riley said.
The “Golden Hour”-themed Homecoming Dance wrapped up on a high note, marking the end of the “California Dreamin’”-themed spirit week and the beginning of more dances to come in the 2025-2026 school year. With Homecoming in the books, ASB looks ahead to organizing future dances.
