Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Government Teacher and ASB Adviser Sharon "Shari" Conditt (second from right) served as lead organizer for this year's Homecoming festivities
Students, alumni, and community members from around the world celebrate Woodland High School’s Homecoming on Friday, October 7, as the school’s Beavers won their game against Longview High School. This year’s festivities included Spirit Weeks at all of the schools throughout the district, student-led tours of the high school, a Timber Court of student representatives to show how varied student interests are at the school and much more, all organized by Sharon “Shari” Conditt, Government Teacher and ASB Adviser at the high school.
Columbia Elementary School's food services staff dressed up for each of the different themed days of Spirit Week
Throughout the district, schools celebrated Homecoming with Spirit Week events leading up to the big game. The elementary schools and middle school held dress-up days throughout the week with each day featuring a different theme. Even school staff got in on the fun by dressing up themselves.
On the night of the event, community members arrived early to receive guided student-led tours of Woodland’s high school, first opened in 2015. Members of the school’s Cross Country and Dance teams led the tours. The tours ended with families having the opportunity to meet and take photos with this year’s Homecoming Princesses.
Community members met with the Homecoming Princesses for a photo opp
In addition to keeping old traditions, this year saw the introduction of new traditions like the Timber Court. Each of the high school’s many clubs and organizations selected a representative who they felt best embodied the spirit of Woodland High School. These students served on this year’s Timber Court, meeting with community members to demonstrate the wide variety of interests and passions of the school’s dynamic population.
Students in Timber Court, a new tradition, met with community members to talk about the many interests represented by the school's clubs and organizations
Students from Career-Technical Education (CTE) classes across a variety of different disciplines contributed to the festivities. Floriculture students made delicate corsages for the Homecoming Princesses from flowers grown during class. The game’s program was laid out, designed, and produced by graphic design students in the school’s multimedia classes. Before the game, CTE teacher Wayne Miller drove the Beaver Mascot around the high school track in a roadster built and maintained by the high school’s auto repair students.
CTE Teacher Wayne Miller drove the Beaver mascot around in a classic roadster built and maintained by students taking auto mechanics classes
To ensure the Homecoming events would go off without a hitch, planning started many months in advance. “Crowns and sashes were ordered in February, the date for the homecoming game was pinned down in March, and we booked our DJ in late Spring,” said Conditt. The success of such a complicated series of events relied entirely on planning and teamwork. “There is no way one person can put on an event like Homecoming by themselves,” said Conditt. “I am incredibly grateful to all of the staff and students who jumped in to help by taking on leadership roles and supporting major projects.”
Students in CTE classes made the floral corsages as well as designed and produced the game program
Word of this year’s special Homecoming even reached across international borders. “I ran into one of our foreign exchange students from the class of 2012 who was originally from Columbia and now lives in Montreal,” said Conditt. “She heard about the event and brought her husband down from Canada just to attend our Homecoming; what an amazing night!”
Woodland High School would like to thank the entire community for their ongoing support of their public schools. “We are so grateful for all that was done to make this event a success for our students and school, and for our supportive community for ensuring providing great education opportunities for our area’s children remains a top priority,” said Conditt.
Learn more about how Woodland Public Schools educates our students and serves the community, by visiting our dedicated news webpage at www.woodlandschools.org/news/wsd