On Friday, Oct. 4, Tracy High School students eagerly participated in a day dedicated to building floats for the highly anticipated homecoming parade that was held in downtown Tracy.
This year’s theme, “Teenage Dream,” inspired each class to select movie-related themes. Seniors chose High School Musical, juniors selected Teen Beach Movie, sophomores went with Camp Rock and freshmen honored Grease.
Students who attended the four flower parties the week before were given the opportunity to be excused from class for the day to focus on float construction, which occurred at various places on campus depending on grade level.
Freshman Brady Brown shared how participating in float building affected homecoming for him.
“I think this experience impacted homecoming well for me,” Brown expressed. “It’s fun working together, interacting with friends, and getting out of class.”
The environment buzzed with energy as classmates collaborated on their designs, combining their creativity and competitive spirit. Various materials, including cardboard, paint and paper were used to bring their ideas to life.
As the day progressed, students transformed materials into colorful representations of their themes. Some worked on painting large backdrops, while others crafted smaller props to enhance their floats.
Noelle Martinez, a junior at Tracy High, commented on the spirit and community of her class during this process.
“We’re all spirited and very competitive, so being driven by competing against other classes really brings us together,” Martinez said with a smile.
For seniors like Jake Tyler, the float building held special significance.
“My favorite part of float building was getting to hang out with my buddies and enjoy the senior festivities for my last year,” Tyler noted. “This provided an opportunity for making memories as they prepared for an important event.”
This event included teachers and families, who provided guidance and support throughout the process.
The float building event encouraged creativity and reinforced school spirit, a key part of the homecoming tradition at Tracy High School.
