Penn Homecoming Draws Thousands for Weekend of Celebration
Penn students and community members came together for a packed Homecoming weekend featuring a pep rally, parade, Fun Zone, football game, fireworks and dance.
The festivities brought students together throughout the weekend, beginning with events including the pep rally and continuing through Saturday night’s Homecoming dance.
For Nolan Vliek ’28, the weekend was about more than individual events. Vliek said Homecoming provides an opportunity to connect with people throughout Penn.
“I love HoCo because it’s a great opportunity to get to hang out with people I love from Penn and, you know, connect with the community,” Vliek said.
Vliek said events such as the pep rally give students an opportunity to see the Penn community come together outside of their normal school day.
“Especially events like the pep rally where you can see everybody and you can hear them, I think it’s a really great visualization of what Penn is,” Vliek said.
Penn groups take to the Homecoming parade
This year’s Homecoming parade followed a new route beginning at the Fieldhouse and featured 15 student clubs, 11 elementary schools and three middle schools.
Following community voting, Latino Student Union placed third, Poms finished second and Swim and Dive took first place.
For Swim and Dive member Aylin Bilgicer ’29, participating in the float was one of the highlights of Homecoming.
“My favorite part is definitely the floats,” Bilgicer said. “I thought the float was super fun. I think it was a really good team bonding experience.”
Bilgicer said Homecoming also helps bring Penn students together early in the school year.
“I think it’s just a really fun experience, especially at the beginning of the year,” Bilgicer said. “I think it really just connects the students altogether. And just overall, it’s really fun.”
Those who missed the parade can watch the event on the Pennant’s YouTube channel.
Kingsmen win 44-0 as thousands attend festivities
The celebration continued with Penn football earning a 44-0 victory.
Throughout the night, approximately 12,000 people attended the events. The celebration included 15 food trucks in addition to morning coffee trucks and more than 30 vendor expo stations.
More than $150,000 was raised, with the money going directly back to P-H-M schools to support teacher grants and district-wide programs.
For Vliek, seeing so many students together is part of what makes Homecoming special.
“Everybody together. And, you know, seeing the other people that are actually in Penn instead of just seeing them in the hallways,” Vliek said.
Vliek described Homecoming as an opportunity to “connect with new people, connect with Penn, and overall just have a really great time.”
More than 2,000 students attend Homecoming dance
Homecoming weekend concluded Saturday with 2,100 students attending the dance, which featured yard games, food trucks and dancing.
One attendee described the dance as “really fun and energetic” and said the dancing circle was their favorite part of the night.
The student said bringing so many people together contributes to Penn’s school spirit.
“A lot of people get together, and, like, everyone’s, like, huddled up together,” the student said. “Especially, like, in the dancing circle. Like, everyone’s with each other, and, I don’t know, it’s just everyone has a good time.”
Bilgicer also said the combination of Spirit Week, the pep rally, football game and dance helps build excitement around Homecoming.
“I think hopefully [it] improves school spirit through all the pep rallies and our spirit week,” Bilgicer said. “I think everyone [is] really excited for the occasion. And then the football game, of course, is also fun. And then the dance is just a really great way to end it all.”
For Bilgicer, Homecoming also provides students with an opportunity to meet people outside their usual circles.
“I think going to HoCo is a great opportunity, especially because it’s the first dance of the year,” Bilgicer said. “So it’s fun. Get to dress up. And then it’s also just really fun to meet new people and socialize.”
