Every year, the week leading up to the homecoming game marks the pinnacle of school spirit both within Ward Melville and throughout the Three Village community. Patriot Pride week in all seven schools, the Battle of the Classes in Ward Melville, and the Friday night bonfire all culminate with the Homecoming Carnival and the big game Saturday afternoon.

Brianna Cea, President of both the Patriot League and Model UN, stated that, “as a senior, it’s really nice to see everyone, from young children to adults, come together at homecoming.” But the Carnival also displays the best aspects of the Three Village community in the form of the different booths. Each booth at the Homecoming Carnival is run either by one of Ward Melville’s clubs or by one of the schools in our district, with each club working to promote itself in the community. The large turn out at the Carnival, as well as the large number of booths present each year, truly attests to the amount of spirit that the students and parents have at this time of year.

Additionally, the Carnival provides a safe and fun environment for families, with each booth featuring a different activity geared toward children. The most notable of these activities at this year’s homecoming included the National Art Honor Society’s, in which kids had to hit a target with a stream of colored water to win a piece of candy; the Patriot League’s, which used red and blue paint to make an American Flag out of hand-prints; and, perhaps the most amusing, the Student Government’s “Pie in the Face” booth, which always had a crowd gathered around it.

But, as Key Club Vice President Ashley Earl said, “I wish that we had a little more school spirit overall and not just during homecoming.” Perhaps more events like homecoming need to be organized throughout the year to increase school spirit, but this year’s homecoming was a fantastic display of Ward Melville’s capacity for school spirit, which was certainly increased by Ward Melville’s victory over Bay Shore 40-33.