The Trojan Games: Go for the Gold

Ellie Kim

     On March 1-21, 2021, Mililani High School’s “The Trojan Games: Go For the Gold” homecoming will be held as the longest homecoming in the school’s history. It was decided to be held for 21 days in honor of the year 2021. 

     “For this Homecoming, we wanted to make it one of the biggest and most unique. We are looking to not only spread that Trojan spirit within our school but to spread Mililani pride in our community. This 21-day Homecoming is set for us to have more opportunities in involving our community in this celebration. We wanted to provide for opportunities for our current students, alumni and area business to come together in the spirit of Mililani Pride,” said the Associated Students of Mililani High School (ASMHS) President Senior Angelina Betie Dulay.

     For this year’s homecoming, many traditions have been kept, removed, or modified. It also includes not just Mililani High School, but the entire Mililani community. The events that were kept are the Homecoming Court, spirit week dress ups and activities, the service project, lip sync, assembly, homecoming Trojan gear, and spirit trophy. One event that was modified included the banner float building. Normally, each class made a float to represent their class pride and incorporated the homecoming theme. This year, each class will design a banner instead that will be hung up along the Meheula fenceline. Other organizations, alumni, and business can also participate. The two cancelled events were the parade and the homecoming dance due to COVID-19 because in a recent statement, the DOE released that any school event with more than 20 people would all be canceled.

     The final event that has been added is the talent show titled “Mililani Virtual Talent Show: Golden Buzzers.” Everyone in the Mililani community has been invited to showcase their skills in this event, and students and teachers can earn class spirit points by participating. This show will be aired on March 19 on MHS’s YouTube channel, Mililani High TV.

     The traditional lunch activities that the class councils hosted each year have now been switched to both virtual and in-person activities. “Activities to look out for include Mililani BINGO, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, on-campus Basketball Shootout Competition, Obstacle Course, and much more! That’s just a small glimpse of the exciting activities we have in store for the Trojan Nation so keep a lookout on the full list of activities and opportunities we will be having. Students won’t be limited to the cafeteria stage at lunch.  Now they can join in from home and participate with their friends (who may not have normally been on the same lunch as them),” said Dulay.

     In order to make homecoming possible despite the pandemic, ASMHS and the class councils began planning since summer 2020. During that time, ASMHS and ACE (All Council Executives) chose the homecoming theme for this year: “The Trojan Games: Go for the Gold.” This theme is based on games of any kind, such as board games, sports, and video games. The homecoming committee also met throughout the second quarter to plan out homecoming virtually and ASMHS has asked the Senates of MHS and MICC (Mililani Inter-Club Council) to brainstorm ideas with their classmates. Dulay and MHS’s Student Activities Coordinator (SAC) and ASMHS advisor Janet Ward-Riehle met with Principal Murphy and numerous stakeholders and supporters in order to make homecoming possible for MHS this year.

     “We don’t get to have the big football game we so desperately miss, nor the rehearsals of band practices or after school meetings all shoved into a classroom. However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t create something for us to remind ourselves that Trojan Nation still paves the way and upholds our Mililani Pride. Happy Homecoming everyone and welcome to The Trojan Games: Go for the Gold,” said Ward-Riehle.

     For more information about Mililani High School’s 21-day homecoming, visit www.mililanihs.org, https://sites.google.com/mililanihs.k12.hi.us/hoco-2021/home, MHS’s student activities’s Instagram, @mililani_hs_student_activities, the respective class Instagrams, @mililani2021, @mililani2022, @mililani.2023, @mililanihs2024, or check one’s school emails as March 1 comes near.