Snowco was supposed to be the new homecoming; something to look forward to in January, with revolving 360 degree cameras, a new DJ, and, of course- a new winter theme. Snowco was planned by the Student Council Association (SCA), who worked hard on the planning process. SCA’s president Bella Towe explained, “It took a lot of research on statistics, how much it had cost, how to get law enforcement there for the night, and what people wanted to see.” SCA planned to sell 250 tickets before winter break to ensure a turn out that would be worth the money and time spent planning and setting up for the dance. However, not enough tickets were sold, and Snowco was canceled. Even though Snowco never got to take place, the planning work and excitement of many students did.
Woodgrove’s homecoming and prom are big events that the student body attends. However, winter stretches between the two events, with homecoming being in the fall and prom in the spring. Snowco was intended to fill this cold gap between the two dances, and bridge together some of the school’s biggest events. Towe shared what inspired Snowco, saying, “Winter is kind of a dull time for Woodgrove. There weren’t a lot of events happening… It was just a good opportunity to bring the hype back, and bring in something fresh and new for students to get excited about.”
Between homecoming and prom, upperclassmen get to experience two dances. Meanwhile, most freshmen and sophomores do not go to prom, only getting to attend homecoming in the beginning of the year. Towe explained, “I was really hoping it would appeal to the younger classmen more, because the seniors and the juniors, they kind of have prom to look forward to, but the underclassmen don’t have prom. I was hoping it would kind of be an opportunity for them to kind of get more invested in the school spirit.” Even though Snowco was designed to expand school spirit to the younger classmen, Snowco was an idea that appealed to other students as well. Junior Kaylen Boggs, who planned on going to Snowco, exclaimed, “I really like the fact that they’re incorporating more dances into our school… I just thought it was a really good idea. I just feel like [it’ll] bring people together.”
In times of final exams, and cold and gloomy weather, Snowco stood out as a new, light-hearted event to build more high school memories. With school dances being a big event, they are often a hot topic of discussion and excitement to many. Towe expressed, “I was kind of just looking forward to having another dance, getting dressed up, buying a dress, taking pictures, and just having a fun night.” For highschoolers, school dances are often the one of the only opportunities there is to dress up and go out with friends. Sophomore Bella Hagenston described, “I was really looking forward to dressing up, especially in the winter, because I feel like Woodgrove doesn’t really have any events like that, and it’s always just fun to dress up and go out to dinner.”
It can be difficult to introduce change without knowing what the new event will be like, and some people didn’t see the purpose of another dance. Towe discussed, “A lot of people were nervous about what it was, and they were like, ‘Oh well, what’s the point if we have a homecoming?’” While some students still expressed interest in having a January dance, many were unable to attend and did not buy tickets. One issue a few people faced was simply the date of the dance. Boggs explained, “People have sports, so they can’t even go because they have mandatory meets.” Not just the date, but the month of the dance also caused conflict for some students.
Although Snowco’s cancellation can be looked at as a missed opportunity, it is also a lesson learned. Towe reflected from the perspective of an SCA member, saying, “A big thing that we learned is to definitely get the word out sooner and just inform people way, way earlier.” Even though Snowco did not take place, a dance is not the only key to building important high school memories. Boggs exclaimed, “Being with your friends, and the excitement and anticipation that you’re going out, that’s what really counts.”