Hoco? They Said Yes!
By Brooke Joly
From football fields to movie theaters, students across campus got creative in asking their dates to this year’s homecoming dance.
Homecoming season is here, which means dress shopping and, of course, proposals! Here are some beautiful proposals students have been involved in.
At the Logan football game, sophomore Ethan Buonopane decided to make his proposal one to remember. “My poster was based on a Bruno Mars song that I altered. It said, ‘Can you make the world stop and stare for a while at Hoco? ’Cause girl, you’re amazing just the way you are,’ Buonopane said. “My friend brought the poster, and lots of people followed him. There were around 80 people around me when it happened.”
Another football-inspired moment came from sophomore Mateo Salaiz, who asked his date after a game. “I took a photo with her and had my friends go behind me with the poster and flowers,” he said. “Then I had her turn around, and the poster said, ‘Will you kick it with me @ hoco?’ with a field goal and a football.”
For junior Kaitlynchi Vo, the moment was heartfelt and silly. “‘Can you be the 6 to my 7 @ Hoco?’ My friend, my Day 1 Kai from Saint Francis High School, came to our western-themed football game and did the hoco proposal from his trunk,” Vo shared. “I walked into the junior lot, and ‘While We’re Young’ by Jhené Aiko started to play. I saw petals leading to his trunk. Then he popped out and asked me to go to homecoming with him, with pink roses and tulips.”
Creativity continued off the field, too. Senior Cruz Ferreira found the perfect way to add thoughtfulness to his proposal. “I wanted to make a matcha poster for her because she LOVES to drink it,” he said. “I made a matcha cup and put it on a cardboard square, along with a somewhat cheesy saying. I proposed to her during a theatre rehearsal where, instead of handing her a normal prop, I handed her an actual matcha. Then I had some friends play ‘Lover Girl’ by Laufey.”
Other students brought equally thoughtful touches. Sophomore Isabella Burns received a multi-step surprise from her date, fellow sophomore Tanner Schmitt, involving a series of flowers that spelled out “HOCO” throughout her classes. How cute!
Meanwhile, junior Abigail Ramos-Flores crafted an adorable message for her friend Samantha Komrowski: “It said, ‘Can you picture us at hoco?’ I was keeping my poster in Fr. Bruce’s room, so after school I ran to get it and walked to the grass area,” Ramos-Flores said. “My friend was keeping her busy at the vending machines, and I texted her to come to where I was. Then I proposed to her, and we took photos.”
Finally, sophomore Ava Roberts chose a cinematic setting for her special moment. “My poster wrote, ‘If life is a movie, can we be the best part at hoco?’ It happened at the movie theater with my friends,” Ava said.
This year’s proposals prove that when it comes to asking the big question: “Will you go to homecoming with me?” Students will take the time to make a grand gesture for the people they care about.