During the Homecoming assembly, students may have noticed something was different: instead of homecoming court members walking down the “purple carpet” in pairs, students took the walk solo. Misconceptions surrounding the purpose of homecoming court caused students to select court members not because they represent their class, but because they’re the second half of a couple.

“I can’t blame students for having this perception because this is what they were led to believe by seeing students partnered up together walking down the purple carpet at the assembly,” Mark Mirandola, director of Student Activities said in an email to 2018 homecoming court members. “Many of the couples that you’ve seen at the assembly over the last few years weren’t dating, but you wouldn’t necessarily know that.”

In recent years, homecoming has evolved into a “cutest couple” contest. This year, Mirandola was very intentional when emphasizing that students should vote for individuals, not couples, in emails and announcements, but more changes could be considered.

Other Illinois schools have made changes to their homecoming traditions. In September, Niles West, Niles North, and Evanston Township High School announced a shift from selecting a homecoming king and queen to selecting two “homecoming royalties” to keep the titles gender neutral. Meanwhile, New Trier Township High School has never selected homecoming kings and queens.

DGS’s homecoming court traditions also differ from DGN’s. DGS staff members nominate students based off of their achievement in activities. From this group of nominees, students select the candidates from their grades. The boy and girl with the most votes in grades 9, 10, and 11 makeup homecoming court, while the senior court consists of 4 girls and 4 boys. Of those 8 seniors, the homecoming king and queen are selected. Whether or not DGN will follow suit remains undetermined.

“That’s something that I need to sit down with the homecoming committee and talk through, weigh the advantages and disadvantages and understand why those schools have made those changes,” Mirandola said in an Omega interview.