For the first time ever, Maize High and Maize South’s Student Council cooperatively organized an event that brought rival schools together called “Bulls in the Nest”. This after-prom style gathering was put in place of winter formal homecoming, and it occurred after the basketball game between the two schools at Maize High.
With the big rival game falling on homecoming week, the Maize High Student Council first came up with the idea to have a Maize vs. Maize South dodgeball tournament after the game. When Maize brought the idea to Maize South Stuco, their sponsor, Robbye Harrington, pitched the idea of a completely combined homecoming. The idea had never been done before and was a huge change to students from a usual formal homecoming. With a decline in attendance at second semester homecoming across both schools the past couple years, the combined student councils decided to try something new to give students a more enjoyable experience.
“While it seems like such a huge change, we believe that it is just the next step to providing our students with the best experience possible,” Maize South High Stuco Vice President Sydney Stehm said. “However, with little time to plan, it became apparent that it was in both schools’ interests to combine Homecoming, and the decision was made for both schools to come together to make this event the best it can be.”
Both schools’ student council members enjoyed working together and hearing new ideas and perspectives throughout the planning process. The student council members strategized together starting directly after winter break to make sure “Bulls in the Nest” could be a successful event. With the short amount of time they had, they managed to put together an after-prom style homecoming that many students seemed to enjoy.
“My favorite part was just the overall feeling of the event,” Maize South Senior Sophie Tyson said. “It felt super chill, and it was nice to just be able to walk around and do different activities with my friends.”
Students also enjoyed the different activities that were available and felt it made homecoming more fun by giving students a variety of things to do.
“My favorite part was the dodgeball tournament because my team won, and it was so much fun,” Maize High junior Lila Collins said.
Although this new idea has been such a big change for students and student council members, “Bulls in the Nest” is something that both student councils hope to continue as a tradition every winter homecoming. They hope to bring students together and create a different kind of fun and more casual environment outside from a usual formal homecoming.
“We are very confident that this will become an amazing new tradition with homecoming alternating between the schools,” Stehm said. “Our hope for homecoming is that it brings the schools and students together. As much as we love competing in sports and activities, we also recognize that we are still classmates, neighbors, and members of the same community and that community is what makes Maize such a great place.”
