Students plan elaborate asks for Homecoming dates
Tommy Park ’22 poses with best friend Ethan Rose ’22 after a Katy Perry themed ask, complete with a performance of her song “Firework,” red body paint and tear-away pants.
October 8, 2021
As the school’s Homecoming Formal approaches, students have been asking ways to ask their peers to be their dates. From mock college commitment, covering a par in post-its and personalized musical performances, Homecoming asks are filling the Quad throughout the school day.
Jordan Kang ’22 organized his nine friends and teammates to paint ‘KATE HOCO?’ on their abdomens and stand on the Quad in front of students and faculty when asking Presentations Managing Editor Kate Burry ’22 to the dance.
“I planned my ask a week in advance, making sure that I had enough people to volunteer to take their shirts off, but also get painted on,” Kang said. “I then had to ask Mr. Godoy if I could borrow some paint, and the rest was history.”
Kang felt surprised when he noticed how many of his peers and teachers had been watching him.
“I was so focused on the ask, that I wasn’t even able to comprehend what was going around me, but looking back at the photos and videos, it was pretty awesome to see so many people gathered around,” Kang said.
Tosa Odiase ’22 asked Sophia Haynes ’22 with a performance involving a crew of students that carried him out while Donda by Kanye West was played.
“It was so stressful having the whole school watch me, but when I realized that they were cheering me on, I felt seen and loved by the community,” Haynes said.
Like Haynes, Tommy Park ’22 said he was nervous because he was the one doing the ask. Park’s friends release confetti behind him as ‘Firework’ by Katy Perry played on the speakers.
“I purchased tearaway pants and a sports top from the student store. I couldn’t say what exactly sparked the idea to tear off my clothes in front of the whole school,” Park said. “I didn’t really notice [the crowd] until the adrenaline kicked in. I just hoped it wasn’t awkward.”
Lily Wessikopf ’23 said that the Homecoming asks bring our community together and allow us to see other sides of each other.
“I think it is really cool that we are allowed to do this and that [students] go to the extents that they do,” Weisskopf said. “I really enjoy watching the asks during lunch and break because they are entertaining.”
