The student council is considering trading the annual homecoming parade for a homecoming carnival. A formal poll was distributed to all students during the end of April to gauge student interest in this alteration to the long-standing rite.
“We just wanted to try something new,” student council advisor Jennifer Russell said. “It would [feature] a carnival, a petting zoo and different things to spark participation in the students.”
While the parade has been around since the opening of the school, the council is exploring whether a carnival might offer a more interactive and cost-effective alternative.
Unlike the parade, where spectators watch from the sidelines as students toss candy from moving vehicles, a carnival would feature booths run by various sports teams and clubs. This format is intended to allow for more direct engagement between student organizations and the families within the local community.
“[The booths] would be a good representation to show the clubs, [so they can] communicate who they are and what they do,” water polo player and student council Parliamentarian Kinnick Kooken said. “I feel like the circus theme is really cool since Hebron is so diverse. It really captures that [energy] of our school.”
A logistical concern driving the discussion is the environmental impact of the parade. Each year, the parade route is left with discarded candy wrappers, requiring a cleanup effort from the student council.
The move could be a financial relief for clubs. Under the current system, organizations often have to source rental cars or borrow trucks to pull their floats, whereas a carnival booth would likely require fewer overhead costs.
“At the carnival, the student council can spread out more easily, clean more and offer better opportunities for other students wanting to help,” LISD advisory chair Calais George said.
Despite the practical benefits, the proposal faces the challenge of potentially breaking a school tradition also practiced by other high schools in the district.
“Since we have always had a parade, It’s definitely a solidified tradition that we have started at Hebron,” said Kooken. “At the same time, I do understand the idea of doing something new, because it does take place on a very busy street, we leave trash behind, and it takes effort to transport everyone from one place to another.”
Whether this change becomes a reality remains to be seen. The student council has emphasized that the carnival is currently just an idea and not a definite plan.
“We are relatively young as a school, and we can still change the school culture and add to it,” Russell said. “We wanted to bring something fresh and new so it can reinvigorate enthusiasm and spirit.”
