After homecoming was canceled on Oct. 2, due to police activity at SC three hours prior to the dance, Student Council worked with the administration to have the event rescheduled. Together, they were able to create Hocoween, an informal dance with a Halloween theme. 

“The proximity to Halloween, and the fact that students are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes is why we decided to host this event,” Student Council sponsor, Peter Geddeis said. 

The dance was held on Oct. 23 in the SC courtyard from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. A stage was brought in and set up at the main courtyard for MONSTER Entertainment to perform. Student Council also utilized gyms one and two for refreshments, seating, and “Just Dance,” in case students were looking for something more laidback. The decision to host the dance in the courtyard was to allow for more security, but also more protection from any harsh wind, Geddeis said. 

“I was so happy that the administration took the measures to make this happen for the student body,” Student Council president Maia Halm ‘22 said. “I felt grateful that we were able to host this dance and thankful for the administration for allowing us to have it.”

Moving forward, Student Council is looking to host more outdoor dances in the future. 

“For me as an activities director, there’s something very intriguing about having a dance outside because it’s unlike anything we’ve ever done, and also something that most schools have never done before,” Geddeis said. “I think there’s an opportunity there that we may explore in the future.” 

Due to COVID-19, many students have not been able to attend a dance since the start of the pandemic, in March 2020. Hocoween provided many students the opportunity to finally come together for one night to dance and simply have fun. 

“It was great to attend the dance, especially since it had been such a long time since our last one,” Jiselle Plata ‘22 said. “It’s definitely a little highlight of my senior year so far.”