Lone Peak High School’s student council prepares for a week of traditions and memorable events in grades K-12

By Leslie Kilgore EBS CONTRIBUTOR

As the Big Sky School District and its fall sports athletes prepare for the annual Homecoming Week, several Lone Peak High School students are working diligently behind the scenes to ensure it’s especially memorable for students, teachers and particularly the senior class graduating next spring. 

Student Council President Maddy Browne, a senior, has been working with the council’s officers since May to ensure everything is on track for this year’s events. The student council officers include: Vice President Finn McRae, a senior in charge of media within the school; Secretary Frieda Fabozzi, a senior who helps plan and take notes at the council’s weekly meetings; Treasurer Oliver McGuire, a junior who oversees dance ticket pricing and budget resets, and two student representatives each from the freshman, sophomore, and junior classes.

“Our May planning included picking dates for Homecoming Week and brainstorming themes and locations for the dance. We met on Zoom a couple of times during the summer as well,” Browne told EBS. “I reached out to about 10 potential locations during the summer for our dance, and we decided on the Cinnamon Lodge, which I am super excited about. We are in full swing of planning for next week.”

In late September, the student council also visited close to 50 Big Sky businesses to ask for participation in their community window decorating competition.

“It was refreshing to see our local businesses’ excitement about participating in our homecoming festivities,” Browne said.

During the week of Sept. 23, the council worked to inform the entire student body, Kindergarten through 12th grade, of the district’s spirit days, and to promote next week’s happenings to all Big Sky students and their families.

This year’s Lone Peak seniors are not only taking on leadership roles as captains of sports teams and clubs, but are also encouraging and leading the charge for school spirit among the entire student body.

“Homecoming this year for seniors is unique because it’s our last chance to leave our mark and memory of this special event that is bigger than our school; the whole town supports us,” Browne said.

Browne added that the student council hopes to pass down the knowledge they’ve gained from past years about the inner workings of Big Sky’s homecoming week.

“We have been making committees to decorate the school and clean up around town before and after the parade and dance,” Browne said. “Thankfully, not all planning and logistics are falling on us, thanks to our wonderful and extremely organized ‘Mom Team,’ including my mom, who is leading it.”

Kristen Browne works at the school district part-time as a kitchen assistant and is co-chairing the Homecoming Parent Committee with Hannah Farr.

“Homecoming has been such a collaborative effort, from the Homecoming Parent Committee,  Big Sky’s PTO, and the LPHS Booster Club, as well as faculty, staff and the student council,” Kristen told EBS. “It is a week to celebrate our students, our sports, our school, as well as the Big Sky community.”

Kristen added that much planning went into the activities offered this year for all ages within the community, including the All-School Carnival, Walk to School day, the parade and pep rally, sporting events for all of Lone Peak’s fall teams, and the Western-themed homecoming dance, which will finish off the week next Saturday, Oct. 5.

While there is still much for the student council to do in preparation for next week’s activities, the officers say this is the finish line, and they’re going to focus on enjoying homecoming.

“I’m looking forward to the parade because it is a great way to unite the community through school spirit,” Fabozzi said. “I love how it can involve everyone in the district.”

“I love the school spirit at all the sporting events during the week,” McRae said—a member of the soccer team, his Big Horns will take on Livingston’s Park High School at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3, with the girls team to follow at 6 p.m.

Football will host Deer Lodge High School the following night at 7 p.m., and the volleyball team will host Whitehall on Saturday, around 2:30 p.m. before the dance. 

“I’m most looking forward to the dance, when everyone comes together in the high school,” Maddy Browne said.

While Homecoming Week is one of the biggest events of the school year, Browne said the student council has plenty more to do. After homecoming, the council plans a Veterans Day assembly to honor local veterans in the community and educate the school district about Veterans Day. The council also holds a blood drive in the winter, will continue several school spirit activities and will soon begin to search for a location for the prom. 

“I have been so impressed with the student council this year,” Kristen Browne said. “They have taken on tasks and responsibilities to engage the community and their fellow students and have put in such an effort. I am really proud of our students.”

Homecoming Schedule

Monday: Color by class

Blue - Ophir Elementary School
Green - Ophir Middle School
Yellow - Lone Peak freshmen
Orange - sophomores
White - juniors
Pink - seniors

Tuesday: Pajama day

Wednesday: Western Wear and Homecoming Parade. 

Parade starts at 6 p.m. in Town Center, pep rally to follow at Len Hill Park. 

Thursday: Jersey / crazy hair, and Big Horn soccer

Homecoming soccer games begin at 4 p.m. (boys) and 6 p.m (girls)

Friday: School spirit (blue and white), HOCO Carnival and Big Horn football

Carnival begins at 3:30 p.m. at Big Sky School District

Homecoming football game begins at 7 p.m.

Saturday: Homecoming volleyball and dance

Volleyball begins after 1 p.m. JV match

Dance begins at 7 p.m.