Football, Community, and School Spirit: Homecoming Parade Unites the Hive

Dressed in white, Hornets set off on the one mile march with Dr. Quinlan in the lead. *Photo: Nina Chen*

By NINA CHEN and WINNIE WANG

Midwood students and staff members alike gathered in a crowd for the annual Homecoming parade at Bedford Avenue on November 2, a fresh, sunny afternoon. The proud Hornets were full of lively spirit as they headed towards Midwood Field for the varsity football game against Staten Island McKee Technical High School.

The students wore white to show support for the team, and three large flags and a blue banner led the march. Cheerleaders with their coordinated outfits and silver pom-poms followed. Band students with their instruments stood at the tail of the parade playing “25 or 6 to 4” by Chicago, with a catchy drum cadence between intervals. To top it off, school mascot Howie the Hornet joined the march in a car, waving energetically to curious spectators.

“The weather yet again cooperated,” said Principal Robert Quinlan. “We had the most students I can recall for the parade. We had a lot of alumni at the game. I saw staff, I saw students, I saw families.”

The collective enthusiasm was remarkable. “Without school spirit, people don’t get involved, and it kind of ruins the vibe of high school," Olga Rozen ‘25 said. “We already go through homework, stress, tests, and all that, so having school spirit really lifts up everybody’s mood and it just makes the whole process more enjoyable.”

This is Rozen’s third time attending Homecoming. She said that events like this allow her to have a break from college applications and just “take a breath.”

When the parade began, the band kept a steady tempo, played their music with confidence, and marched with their heads held high.

“I’m really excited, and I hope today will be fun even though I’m nervous, since it is my first time doing Homecoming,” said Nori Robinson, a junior drummer. “I know we are pretty prepared because we know the music well. Mr. [Todd] Hayen introduced various songs, asked us what we wanted to perform, and we got to practice outside for two days.”

Cherry Amancio, a junior alto saxophone player, said that the band “marched around the school three million times” for rehearsal. “We are going to cook!” she said enthusiastically.

Dr. Quinlan led the Midwood community down Bedford Avenue approximately one mile to Midwood Field. Residents and bystanders waved back to the marchers as upbeat music echoed throughout the neighborhood.

The vast field was a magnificent expanse of green, and the sky was a perfect shade of blue upon arrival. Students marched around the field to motivate the football team as the cheerleaders chanted: “Let’s go Midwood, let’s go!”

Hornets gradually settled down in the bleachers, and the band began performing “The Star-Spangled Banner” while people stood for the Pledge of Allegiance. As the game proceeded, various head-bobbing shorts like “Imperial March,” “Funky Town,” and “We Will Rock You” resonated in the stadium seats.

Mr. Hayen, the band director, was pleased with his students’ performance.

“There were some communication challenges that forced us to be a bit flexible, but we came out successful,” he said. “We didn’t have enough time to set up for the national anthem and it was hard for some of the kids to see me conduct, but it was good that the students were able to adapt quickly.”

The crowd showed immense support for the Varsity Football team. One trio of girls was particularly pumped up, screaming at the top of their lungs.

“It’s my first Homecoming,” said junior Mailey Larry. “I’m super excited, and I think I’m going to lose my voice by the end of this game.”

Unfortunately, Midwood lost to Staten Island McKee 36-16. “I feel like Midwood’s trying their best, doing what they can,” said Philip Gannon ‘14, a Varsity Football alumnus. “I feel like if they just keep working hard and keep their effort in, they’ll get better day by day. That’s all it takes.”

The Hornet community is looking forward to next year’s Homecoming and a satisfying victory. “It took a couple of months to plan for Homecoming, and I’m proud of this season’s game,” said Dr. Quinlan. “The varsity team gave their best, and it’s not easy to be a scholarly athlete.”

The team's loss this Saturday was overshadowed by its strong spirit and the unwavering support of its fans, highlighting the resilience and unity that power the hive. As always, it was another beautiful day to be a Hornet.