Every year, the night following the homecoming game is the Homecoming Dance. Though the event went off without a hitch, the amount of dedication and weeks of effort LASA and LBJ student councils put into making homecoming dance a memorable night for everyone goes largely unnoticed.

This year’s theme was “ATX”, which was modeled around the culture that made Austin original and unique. The event was sponsored by Austin-based companies Big Swig Sparkling Waters and Maine Root Beverages, whose drinks were distributed throughout the night. For decorations, student council transformed the gym into an array of Austin-inspired artwork that embodied its self-made motto, “Keep Austin Weird.” The student councils partnered with the National Art Honor Society (NAHS) to recreate several iconic Austin murals like the “Hi, how are you” and “I Love You” murals. LASA junior and treasurer Sophia Moore is particularly fond of the centerpieces on the tables because they illustrate the iconic and recognizable cityscape.

“This year our plan is to partner with NAHS to make different street art that’s iconic for Austin and put it around the gym,” Moore said. “That should be pretty cool. We’ve never done anything like that for [homecoming] before, so it should be interesting.”

According to LASA student council facilitator Melissa Alexander-Driscoll, student council was excited about this year’s theme because it was unique and stood out among the dozens of other themed homecoming dances they have created in the past. Their goal was to ensure that homecoming can be enjoyed by LASA and LBJ because it is one of the few events both schools share.

“The dances get themes so that you get decorations and they stand out from year to year,” Alexander-Driscoll said. “I am really excited about [homecoming] because I think it is a really cool theme that we have never done before. I have not seen it done at another school or anything.”

Planning for homecoming night begins five to six weeks prior, and preparing the gym with decorations takes an entire day in itself. This time lapse represented how many factors student council had to consider, including: sales, ordering decorations and contacting potential sponsors. LASA senior and representative Sarida Morejon said that student council often found the planning process enjoyable, which made the night more satisfying.

“I really like and I know a lot of other people on my council really like decor, figuring out what decorations are going to go … [and] seeing everybody dressed up on [homecoming] night,” Morejon said.

Although homecoming has come and gone, student council are now working towards prom, which is their biggest event of the school year. All of the funds collected from the homecoming ticket sales will be saved for prom planning in the spring semester. Alexander-Driscoll finds the homecoming dance important because it is the first major school event student council leads.

“Student council try to make [homecoming] super unique and fun and casual because it should be ‘coming home and excitement about the beginning of the year’ kind of dance,” Alexander-Driscoll said.