Homecoming is a cherished tradition at Poly Prep, bringing together students, families, and alumni to celebrate the school. People venture through New York City’s traffic to sit on the packed bleachers and root for their favorite Poly athlete, enjoy the food trucks, or play games at the pumpkin patch.
While every year is a slightly different theme, this year’s Homecoming was especially memorable. Following the passing of the beloved Patti Tycenski, this year’s homecoming held a pink-out theme. Tycenski was passionate about breast cancer awareness, which is commonly represented by the color pink. Director of Student Life Jared Winston emphasized the pink out theme’s importance, stating, “though she is no longer with us, her energy is a lasting one here at Poly.” Winston hoped that everyone would be able to join us in commemorating her legacy, urging everyone to be “pink, pink, pink.”
2027 Student Government Representative Stevie Ziffer shared how homecoming “really shows Poly’s spirit; it emphasizes what Poly is about.” As an active participant in the Poly community, Ziffer noted how during the student government meetings leading up to the event, “the whole time we’d talk about spirit week for homecoming and the themes.” Ziffer emphasized the importance of being there with your friends, showing and cheering for your teammates because it is “fun and spirited!”
Similarly, Senior Varsity Volleyball Team Captain Oakley DeCristofaro commented that homecoming was “really fun because it’s one of the biggest community games of the year.” DeCristofaro noted the importance of people showing up and watching “all of our hard work manifesting on the court.” She emphasized how “this is just something that’s really unique about Poly,” and it makes her experience here that much more incredible than any other school.
Winston agreed with DeCristofaro, stating,“Homecoming is a cultural phenomenon,” where our community can take the time “to recenter itself and grow the legacies on its campus.”
Math teacher Sabina Laricchia compared this year’s homecoming to past years, stating that it is “similar because of the camaraderie, but different because the school has gotten bigger.” Laricchia highlighted how every year, homecoming is full of the same spirit it always has, and despite the community growing and evolving, it’s “the Poly spirit of the family coming together.” Spirit captain and football player Gordon Hoffman remarked on the activities that the spirit team has been working on creating in order to make the best homecoming yet, one that shouts ‘We are Poly!’ Hoffman wants people to show up because they want to, not because their friends are going or they feel like they have to. He believes that there is “a little bit of something for everything and everyone,” no matter your interests, reminding us of this unique and opportunistic school we are a part of.
Hoffman reflected on how homecoming is not an event for the players, but rather for everyone and anyone who identifies with the Poly community. Gordon stated that some students “may even get to meet new people that they haven’t gotten to meet. I think that’s sort of the unseen thing that’s good about homecoming.”
Senior Varsity Girls’ Soccer Captain Landon Lipton shows her Poly spirit by showing up and being one of the loudest people on the bleachers. “It’s fun to have the whole bleachers filled, it gives you motivation and really makes you want to win more,” she said.
