Highlights: Valley Stream Homecoming 2023

Each school from the Valley Stream Central High School District celebrated its spirit week and homecoming football game last month. Anticipating poor weather for game day, Valley Stream Central held a daytime pep rally in advance of the Eagles’ contest against Hicksville on October 21.

The rally included a singing of the National Anthem by student Maya Andrews along with performances by Central’s streamers, cheerleaders, step team, marching band, and drum circle. The school’s fall athletes all had the opportunity to step onstage as well. Kenny Suquilema and Elize Quezada were named Homecoming King and Queen, respectively.

Students took part in the school’s annual class banner contest despite cancellation of the homecoming parade due to rain. Each class designed banners based off this year’s theme of Disney. The banners are currently hung up in the school’s gym for all to see and vote on.

Valley Stream North High School was awash with Spartan spirit on the week of October 9 in the lead-up to its annual homecoming. North’s Fall Pep Rally was held  October 13. As part of the celebration, the Spartan cheer, step and kickline teams performed for the student body, and introduced North’s various varsity fall teams.

That evening, North held its annual Homecoming Dance. Students enjoyed the festivities made possible by North’s Senior Class Council and advisors Marissa Baldi and Sofia Owen. The evening also saw the crowning of North’s Homecoming Royalty. Jaela Alvarez was named Royal Winner for the year, along with Homecoming Royalty Finalists Luciano DiSalvio, Karina McNamara, Charles Wu, Alyanna Nadal, Ava Strojan, Chelsea Ramdyal and Swaraj Pandit.

Finally, rainy weather couldn’t stop the festivities for the North’s Homecoming festival and football game. The Spartans prevailed over their opponents from Division Avenue High School 48-6.

Valley Stream South High School celebrated its spirit week and homecoming throughout the week of October 16. Festivities included  spiritthemed weekdays, a class banner design competition, and the homecoming festival held prior to South’s homecoming football game against East Rockaway on Saturday, October 21.

For South’s spirit week, each day carried a special theme selected by the senior class. The themes were career day, cultural day, decades day, soccer moms vs. BBQ dads day, and red/white day.

Then, for Saturday’s homecoming festival, the class of 2024 won the senior high school class banner competition, followed by the class of 2025 and the class of 2026. For the junior high school’s banner competition, the class of 2028 took home the top prize followed by the class of 2027 and the class of 2029. Additionally, Michael Hernandez and Dana Morales were named Homecoming King and Queen.

Other homecoming festival activities included pumpkin decorating, face painting and games organized by 19 of the school’s clubs and student organizations. The school accomplished one of the major goals of this year’s festival by encouraging not just students, but also families and community members to attend.