Homecoming! One of the biggest weeks of the year for Northport High School students. A week packed with excitement for Saturday’s big game and finding out which seniors will win the title of Homecoming King and Queen. With lots of tiger pride – and Band performances – nobody does it better than Northport!

As a Senior, it’s a bittersweet feeling to experience your last Homecoming Week. While it represents the first of many “lasts” here at NHS, it also generates excitement for the future. To get the full view of what Homecoming was like for students, I interviewed Class of 2020 Homecoming Queen, Meghan Kropp. Meghan is a huge part of the Northport High School community, as she is not only the captain of the Varsity Field Hockey team, Band President, and Honor Society Co-President, but also an IB Diploma Candidate. I asked Meghan about every part of Homecoming, from the beginning of the week, to the moment she was crowned Queen at the dance on Saturday night.

Homecoming Week, also known as Spirit Week, entails a crazy dress code. Nobody does this better than the seniors. Monday, Pajama Day, was Meghan’s favorite day. It helped overcome the struggle that is waking up early after the weekend by allowing her to stay cozy all day in her favorite PJs. Meghan also liked Pajama Day because it was so easy to do; everyone has a pair of pajamas to wear. Meghan loved walking the halls with her friends, showing their school spirit while staying comfortable. The rest of the week was just the same. The stars and stripes of America Day were popular, and 70s day brought tie dye and Bell-bottoms into the hallways.

Homecoming would not be the same without the Friday afternoon Pep Rally. Cheering on the Fall athletes and getting to enjoy an amazing performance from the best band on Long Island is guaranteed to be a great time. And with the sunny skies and shortened periods, student’s are even happier. Meghan was very involved in the Pep Rally. She played her flute with the Band, and then ran over to lead the Varsity Field Hockey team as they walked across the field in front of the crowd in the bleachers. After that, Meghan was introduced along with the rest of the Homecoming Court (the nominees for King and Queen) in the center of the field, which she says was “nerve wracking, but exciting.”

The biggest event of Homecoming Week was the football game on Saturday. There was not a single unoccupied seat in Tiger Stadium, as hundreds and thousands of parents, students, faculty, and alumni came to see the Tigers win 31-6 against Deer Park. As Meghan says, “It was great to see so many fans come support the Tigers and show their Northport Pride.” It was a testament to the strength of the Northport community. As part of the Marching Band, Meghan performed in the halftime show, which was spectacular, especially for the Band’s first performance of the year (besides the Band Camp Demonstration). “We were really confident going into the show and I think that we played the best we have all year so far. I think seeing so many people in the stands gave us the confidence to play our hearts out,” Meghan said regarding the performance. However, her involvement in the Homecoming activities did not end after that. After recognition of the newly inducted members in the Northport Athletic Hall of Fame, Meghan was introduced along with all the other Homecoming King and Queen nominees. This was a really cool experience for Meghan, who notes that she felt lots of of love and support from the community and her classmates. “It was really awesome and unexpected looking up and seeing so many of my friends in the stands cheering for me. I felt so supported by my school, and it made me proud to live in such a great town.”

Finally, it was time for the last event of the week, the Homecoming Dance. Going into the night Meghan was excited, but certainly not prepared to become Homecoming Queen. Throughout the night, as the Crowning “Ceremony” grew nearer, both her jitters and excitement increased. Standing on the balcony overlooking the commons, she heard, “And our Class of 2020 Homecoming Queen is… Meghan Kropp!”  She describes her immediate reaction to be “ecstatic.” “I was so surprised. I was not expecting to win.” Meghan was overcome with positive emotions, “I couldn’t stop smiling,” she said. Afterwards, the fun didn’t stop. After being congratulated by her friends, she celebrated the rest of the night, happier than ever. 

As a senior, it’s sad to think that your last Northport Homecoming as a student is over. Never again will you be able to walk into the Commons on Pep Rally Friday and be enthusiastically welcomed by the Northport Tiger Marching Band. Nor will you be able to convince your teacher to let you leave class early to see the Football Team attempt to dance like cheerleaders in the Commons Show (even if you’ve already seen it three times). Although it can be a sad thought for many, it’s also exciting to think that in a years time, you’ll be taking part in College Homecoming festivities. Whether they know it or not, Northport High School will always have a special place in the hearts of the students here. No matter how old they get, they will always be welcome at Tiger Stadium, where they can see another Tiger victory in their Homecoming football game.