Update at 3:31 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25: Story edited to include updated information on the dance pep assembly.

StuCo has made several changes to the Winter Homecoming week, including the dance, hoping for higher participation from the student body and hopes to cater to more of the students’ wants.

The first major change is the name of the dance. Now called “The Sweetheart Dance,” it will take place Saturday, Feb. 4. The dance will be an hour shorter, with the doors opening at 8 p.m. and ending at 10 p.m.

Due to a lighting malfunction in the Performing Arts Center, the pep assembly will be in the main gym Tuesday, Jan. 31 during the seminar; attendance remains optional.

Due to conflicts in the basketball home game schedule, the crowning of the WoCo queen and king will be during halftime of the boys game Tuesday, Jan. 31 instead of a traditional Friday night game. Candidates for queen are seniors Lauren Aycock, Emma Dempsey, Tierney Fields, Gracie Knight, Olivia Page and Madeline Schnepf. King candidates are seniors Dylan Ashford, Jameson Beran, Bryce Jennings, Foster Jonasson, Jack Melvin and Grant Rutkowski.

The week will still have spirit days, beginning Monday, Jan. 30 with the Groutfit theme. Tuesday, Jan. 31 will be PJ day, Wednesday, Feb. 1 will be flannel day, Thursday, Feb. 2 will be a hat day and Friday, Feb. 3 will be MV spirit wear.

Senior student body president Brianna Coup looks forward to the newly made improvements. 

“I am excited about the changes,” Coup said. “I love the theme and I think the time change was necessary. The pep assembly is going to be different, but I am looking forward to it.”

StuCo sponsor Erica Matyak appreciates the potential the benefits of adding these changes will have.

“Although the changes are not my preference, we will still have a highly successful Winter Homecoming and spirit week to help students get involved with the school, to celebrate our school and its students and to brighten the hallways,” Matyak said. “Change can be a catalyst for improving what we do as a council because when we have to change our typical operations, we look at what we do from a refreshed point of view, which helps us learn and keep from being stagnant.”

Lastly, tickets for the dance can be purchased starting Monday, Jan. 30 and a form will need to be filled out if students plan on bringing students from other schools.  

Meanwhile, students can stay updated by following the STUCO Instagram account (@mvhsjaguarstuco) and participate in special events leading up to the Sweetheart dance such as spirit days starting Monday, Jan. 30, seminar contests, the pep assembly and the crowning of the queen and king.