While the pandemic undoubtedly took a big hit on Lemont’s most cherished traditions, it luckily launched a brand new system for organizing Homecoming spirit week: the Homecoming website. Updated on a daily basis, the website functions as a giant hub for spirit point totals, various fundraisers, skit content, class banners, and more. Students can access the website via a link on the daily announcements emailed out by Tony Hamilton. 

“I think it’s exciting and makes it more competitive to be able to see live data of where things are at,” said Kathryn Kupchek, co-sponsor of student council and manager of the website. “It keeps that competition going but also helps motivate them [students] to do kind things for other people.”

Each day, the class in first place for donations receives 100 spirit points, second place with 75 points, third place with 50 points and last place with 25 points. Members of student council work diligently alongside the teacher sponsors to tally up these spirit points on a giant spreadsheet.

“We have student council members that count them every morning and then they bring me the count for the donation items and then they bring me the boxes with the gift cards in them,” said Angela Duensing, co-sponsor of student council. “I will do an official count to make sure that the numbers match up and then everyone’s getting a fair shake.”

The pandemic essentially acted as the driving force behind the website, allowing students to access Homecoming details at any time and any place. 

“Once we knew that everything was going to be videos, we wanted to figure out a way that everybody could still participate and be part of Homecoming,” said Kupchek. “We wanted people to still be able to see them [the skits] because before, everything was in the field house.”

Both students and faculty expressed deep concern about COVID’s repercussions on Lemont’s long-standing Homecoming celebrations. The seniors, for instance, hadn’t even participated in live skits since their freshmen year. Nevertheless, the upperclassmen certainly showed the school how it’s done, equipping the underclassmen with the wisdom to continue the festivities for years to come. 

“This [Homecoming] has always been a big deal here at the high school. Getting to see the upperclassmen really putting in the effort, I think it helps the freshmen and the sophomores see, ‘This is what I need to do next year,’” said Kupchek. “Right now, we’re trying to recreate the culture that we had here at LHS before COVID.”

Teachers plan to preserve the Homecoming websites every year so students can take a trip through memory lane and relive the excitement of spirit week at any time.