Lifestyle

HoCo 2025: Behind the Scenes

South made some changes with thier homecoming preparations this year, including the location. Read more to find out about how the Enchanted Garden grew into a fantastic night for all.

Chloe Huyer and Audrey Lavelle

October 15, 2025

Display of the 30 foot castle during the preparation of homecoming.

Tom Wolff

With homecoming as iconic of an occasion as it is, many students rush to prepare for the big event.

Between dress and suit shopping, hair and nail appointments, and finding the perfect shoes, hours of preparation make the day as memorable as it is. However, these are not the only efforts being made. On top of getting themselves ready for the dance, many of South Forsyth High School’s scholars dedicate their time toward arranging decorations flawlessly, providing the school with the perfect ambiance suited to match this year’s theme: Enchanted Garden.

Student Council’s sponsor, Anne Knight (formerly Anne Perry), provided her personal statements regarding the preparations for homecoming. Many students on the Student Council volunteer their morning to set up the dance, but they are not the only ones involved in assembling the environment.

“We’re having a 30-foot-long castle being brought in, so that’s really exciting,” said Mrs. Knight. The fixture was displayed in the War Eagle Dining Hall, a new location for homecoming rather than the Blue Gym, where homecoming has historically been held.

As usual, the prep team faced their own challenges. In order to ensure a smooth setup process, StuCo plans in advance.

“We start planning for homecoming as early as we possibly can to give ourselves enough time to get everything done. That way we can make the event as best as possible for everyone,” said Knight. The night is focused on making sure that every student can enjoy themselves to the fullest, so time is necessary for solving any issues that arise.

“I think when you’re planning any schoolwide event, you have to be very flexible and very considerate of everybody involved,” she said.

This homecoming season also introduced new priorities.

“Our big goal this year was definitely the parade,” Knight said.

South has reintroduced their very own homecoming parade after taking a 15-year break from the event. During the parade, students on homecoming court, sports teams, band, and anything else that gives South Forsyth High School the character it has, marched to display their War Eagle spirit and host an event for students to become more involved in their school.

The foundation of South relies on the ability of each student and faculty member to participate in developing the school, whether that be from coordinating event dates to becoming involved in extracurriculars, so that SFHS can deliver as many opportunities for students to grow and integrate themselves within their community.

Overall, homecoming would be nothing without the hours of time and dedication that are put into preparing for the night. Next year, the Student Council will repeat this process and produce yet another homecoming that South Forsyth High School knows and loves, leaving students to appreciate it even more now that they know how much work is needed to secure the fun of the night.

About the Contributors

Chloe Huyer, Social Media Manager

Chloe Huyer is a Senior at South Forsyth High School, entering her second year writing for The Bird Feed. She is currently part of the leadership team as Social Media Manager. She is so excited to explore new forms of media and develop her passion for writing. She is currently exploring her interest in medicine and STEM, as she hopes to pursue a career in nursing and anesthesiology. Longterm, she wants to work in pediatric nursing and become a CRNA after achieving higher education with a PhD. This year, Chloe is excited to attend multiple concerts and spend the year growing closer with her friends and building new relationships with her Journalism co-writers. She also looks forward to traveling to new places and engaging in new cultures. She is nervous to move on from her current life and begin a new path after high school. She is involved in numerous outside activities such as NHS, NEHS, WSA, and works an afterschool job. Chloe loves to listen to a variety of music, including The Weeknd, Lana Del Rey, and a multitude of other R&B artists. Her favorite thing to do is discover new coffee shops and hang out with her friends. For her future, Huyer wants to attend the University of Georgia in their new nursing school and earn her doctorate to become a CRNA at Emory. She is so excited for this year!

Audrey Lavelle, Staff Writer

Audrey Lavelle is a Junior at South Forsyth High School, while she starts her first year writing for The Bird Feed. Audrey is very interested in writing about sports and the South Forsyth High School community around her. While not drowning in school work, Audrey spends her free time playing soccer, running, reading, and hanging out with friends. Her favorite thing to do is go for long runs and sing. Her favorite artists are Bailey Zimmerman, The Weekend or any country singers. One thing Audrey is excited about doing this year is bringing awareness and people together through her articles. She is involved in NHS, WSA, DECA, FBLA, and varsity soccer Audrey hopes to go to college for business & finance but can not promise she will in 3 months. When Audrey isn’t broke she loves to go to concerts with her friends. Her favorite memory is Luke Bryan’s concert where it rained, and she and her friends sang in the rain. She is so thrilled to write and be part of the journalism team and can’t wait for the opportunities it will bring her.