From soccer moms and BBQ dads to the Wild West and West Coast, students and staff participated in a week of themed dress up days leading up to the annual black out pep rally. Fog machines, lasers, pyrotechnics, swag surfin’ and the unmissable texas-sized mums filled the competition gym on Friday morning. All of these festivities work to build hype and positive energy leading into the football game and homecoming dance.
Texas’ mum and garter tradition garners national attention on social media annually with its feathers, bells, ribbons and other ornaments. Homecoming traditions are some of the many things Eagles take pride in each year.
For the 2024 Homecoming season, the floral design department at Allen High School took the saying “Everything is bigger in Texas” as a challenge. Floral design teacher Meridith Brill wanted to emulate the togetherness homecoming represents.
“It’s going to be a giant 30-foot paper mum,” Brill said. “[The mum] represents everything that is offered here at Allen High School and [the activities] that everyone is involved in and the unity behind it.”
While these flower-based decorations have a stereotype of being massive, , many people and schools have attempted to make even bigger ones. Currently, the record is held by Lewisville High School, with a 37.5 foot mum. Brill plans to beat that. The mum stayed up in front of the school the duration of homecoming week.
“I got tired of lecturing,” Brill said. “So I asked [my husband, Mr. Brill] what we could do that was fairly cheap, but still fun, but fit in with the Homecoming theme. He told me, ‘Oh you should do a giant mum’, and I told him, Well, I’m going to one up you on that, because Allen does everything bigger.’
This task could not have been completed by one person, so Brill assigned her students to help with the construction of the mum.
“[To help make the mum} we go to grab the laser cut-outs, we glitter letters, cut stuff,” senior Allison Yesconis said.
The floral design classes have been working on the mum for the past month.
“[The students and staff are] going to be shocked,” senior Mia Maurer said. “It’s massive. It’s huge. Every class does something different [to help create the mum].”
Not only is this class creating one for the school, they are also created ones for students available for purchase at the Eagle Edge.
“These mums range from $40-$50,” Brill said.“It is a severely discounted price since they are not using top notch products.”
This giant school mum showcases the unity and diversity of organizations at Allen High School and the ways that the students are involved. Starting this annual tradition aims to bring everyone closer together as a community.
“Honestly, I would like to do this again every year,” Brills said. “[I] want to kind of see how it develops over the years. I am open to ideas though.”
