The Fieldston Eagles are back and better than ever with the first Fieldston Homecoming in two years scheduled for October 16th. Homecoming is always a special time for current Fieldston students, parents and faculty as well as Fieldston alumni to connect. In addition to this legendary Homecoming, Pep Rally 2021 is scheduled for October 15th.
Before the annual Pep Rally, Fieldston Upper School participates in Spirit Week. This week of school-wide camaraderie is organized by the FSG Co-Presidents, grade representatives and Secretary of Fun Times. The purpose of Spirit Week is to bring the student body together in a fun way that allows everyone to connect with one another over similar themes. Each day of Spirit Week is dedicated to a different themed dress-up such as pajama day, decades day or sports jerseys day. Then, on Friday (the day of the pep rally), the dress-up is always Fieldston colors. This fun-filled week is meant to increase school spirit before Homecoming. When asked about this special Fieldston tradition, Assistant Principal of Student Life Rashad Randolph said: “Spirit week builds up a strong sense of community among the Fieldston Eagles through a positive shared experience.”
To accommodate the Pep Rally, classes end an hour early that Friday. Then, the celebration of the fall sports teams begins. Usually, Pep Rally is hosted in a beautifully decorated JV Gym, but this year, due to COVID-19 safety measures, the event will take place on the Upper Field. During Pep Rally, each varsity sports team performs a choreographed dance in the center of a circle of cheering students and faculty. As Randolph said, “This event is meant to get the school community to come out and support the fall sports teams who are playing the next day at Homecoming.”
As soon as it was decided that school would be 100% in-person this year, the option to host Homecoming and Pep Rally was a given. Essentially, Pep Rally 2021 will be like any other year, just outside. The Pep Rally Committee–made up of the fall varsity sports captains, Secretary of Fun Times, and a few other senior volunteers–met with Randolph to plan the specifics of this event. It was decided that everyone at Pep Rally will need to wear a mask, but social distancing measures are not necessary since every Upper School student is supposed to be fully vaccinated at this point. The Pep Rally Committee also plans the order of the teams’ dance performances during the event, coordinates communication about the event with the student body, and organizes the distribution of Pep Rally merch.
In addition to Pep Rally 2021, Homecoming 2021 is in full throttle. Nancy Oti, the Director of Special Events, defines Homecoming as “The gathering of all Fieldstonites old and young to celebrate the school and everything that’s Fieldston.” At every annual Homecoming, all of the varsity sports teams have a home game, there are food trucks at the end of the Upper Field, Fieldston merchandise is sold and there are various parent-led booths. There is also an annual Homecoming Drive that is organized by the CSAB class. This year, CSAB will be helping collect PPE items for the victims of Hurricane Ida–the category 4 hurricane that struck Louisiana in late August 2021. School-wide drives allow the Fieldston community to not only celebrate through an athletic lens but also through giving back.
This year, Homecoming will include all of the typical festivities, but with some adaptations to abide by New York State COVID-19 prevention guidelines. One of the safety measures includes requiring all adults and children over 12 to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test upon entering campus. Children under 12 are not required to show a negative COVID-19 test, as New York State does not mandate this. All Homecoming participants must wear masks indoors, though masks are not required outside. An indoor social distance of 3 feet will be enforced and outdoors guests will be encouraged to spread out around the entire campus. To ensure that people move around the campus, the Quad will be used to sell spirit gear instead of the Upper Field. Additionally, younger Fieldston students will be able to go to the Lower School campus to work on arts and crafts projects.
Besides spreading out the typical Homecoming activities, ticket registration is also a measure that has been taken in order to keep the community safe. Prior to arriving at Homecoming, all parents, faculty and students who are not varsity athletes must register for the event. Tickets are now a requirement because they help the school manage the guest count. Tickets also ensure that the school knows exactly who is on campus which makes contact tracing easier. During Homecoming, there will be checkpoints around the campus where everyone will be asked to provide both their ticket and proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.
The Fieldston Eagles are extremely grateful to have Pep Rally and Homecoming up and running again. When talking about these spirit events, Randolph said: “I am excited for the Pep Rally and Homecoming because I’m happy that students are back on campus and here in school. A big part of high school is the social component and this is a wonderful opportunity to gather with friends and cheer on others. The Pep Rally and homecoming are events that build on our sense of community. Homecoming is a staple at most educational institutions, including this one.” Oti agrees with Randolph, as she said: “Homecoming is a fun, happy day celebrating all things Fieldston. It’s a great opportunity to bleed orange.”
Come out to support your Fieldston Eagles on October 16th at the Upper School Campus!!!
Homecoming 2019 (Photo credits: Chris Taggart)
