On February 11th, North Mecklenburg hosted its first annual Valentine’s Sneaker Ball in the school’s cafeteria, the first dance in decades open to all grade levels. The Student Government Association had initially hoped to hold a homecoming dance this past autumn but postponed the event to a later date due to unforeseen logistical difficulties. 

Approximately 100 people registered to attend the February dance, but only about 80 were present. Erica LeGrand, SGA executive board vice president, said that the attendance was lower than expected “predominantly because it was cold and rainy.” 

While the attendance rate wasn’t as high as the SGA had hoped, this event opened the door for future school-wide dances. When asked about the possibility of a future homecoming dance, Ms. LeGrand promised that “there will definitely be one next year.”

The expectations for the event were an essential factor for those attending. Junior Kennedy Ramseur explained that when she attended she wasn’t expecting much besides typical Valentine’s decorations, music, and snacks. For her, the sudden location change from the gym to the cafeteria was disappointing and lowered her expectations for the dance. “I was expecting a lot from the gym and was disappointed when I suddenly found out [...] the location changed,” she explained.

However, this initial setback didn’t stop Kennedy from enjoying herself. She said that the dance was a positive experience for her because “[...] there [weren’t] a lot of people, so once [they] broke the ice and it wasn’t awkward, it was nice.” She spoke about how she thinks that the decoration and music choices were made well and that they show how it is evident that the SGA has good connections with the community.

With this in mind, it is essential to acknowledge how dances like these can be improved in the future. From Kennedy’s experience at the ball, it is clear that communication could be improved. It was only an hour before the dance that Kennedy was told that the location of the dance had changed. When she arrived at the dance, she found a photo booth selling pictures for seven dollars each. “I didn’t think to bring money, so I was a bit surprised by [the photo booth],” she said. Communication with those attending the dance would have prevented many of the issues Kennedy faced that night.

To attend the dance, students paid $20 for an admission ticket. When asked where this money went, SGA member Dinah Samson said that all of the money went towards preparation for the dance. For many students, the ticket price felt like far too much to pay for the experience they expected to have. 

Indeed, some have ideas for improvements. Sophomore Hannah Stevens explained that “something with more structure could be better, like a Sadie Hawkins dance. Something with more of a point to it. Doing something more traditional, in that sense, would be beneficial.” Freshman Killian Russo agreed, saying, “something that is actually well known at high schools [would be better].” SGA’s efforts to give North fun activities are a work in progress, but they offer hope for future events.

In 1964, Marsha Henry was the North Mecklenburg homecoming queen. That year’s yearbook said, “Marsha’s official duty as our new queen was to reign at the Homecoming Dance, which was held the following night in the school cafeteria.” Yet, fifty-nine years later, we are left with only a homecoming game and no dance in decades. There isn’t a specific reason for the school’s consistent lack of a homecoming dance. However, it has been made clear by this year’s events that logistical issues pose an obstacle to the planning and execution of such a dance. 

This year’s Valentine’s Sneaker Ball, an attempt to make up for the lack of a homecoming dance, had its obstacles. But the effort is a positive attempt to bring dances and other events back for North Mecklenburg High School students. đŸ†…