East students come together for Homecoming weekend 2025
On Friday, October 24, Cherry Hill East held its annual Homecoming Pep Rally in the Dibart Gym. The pep rally advertised the Homecoming dance and recognized East’s various fall sports teams. Following the honors, students and faculty participated in games and fun activities.
The school day ran according to a standard Day Three schedule; however, classes were shortened to 48 minutes to accommodate the hour and 40-minute-long pep rally, as well as time for students to transition from their E-block classes to the gym.
The pep rally was led by student athletes Rachel Rosenberg (‘26) and Ryan Moyer (‘26), field hockey and football players, respectively.
Once all of the students arrived and found their seats in the bleachers, the East Marching Band, Color Guard, and American Sign Language Club opened the program with their rendition of the national anthem.
Next, the Cougar Cheerleaders brought some excitement to the pep rally with their performance. As they danced, cheered, and flipped, many students in the bleachers became cheerleaders themselves, filming and applauding their friends’ show.
Following the cheerleading routine, Rosenberg and Moyer announced this year’s homecoming representatives: Nijah Anderson (‘26), Thalia Dain (‘26), Brad Hendricks (‘26), Joey Lieberson (‘26), Jamiir Rose (‘26), Rosenberg herself, Shia Rose Snyder (‘26), and Liz Zimmer (‘26). Students were able to cast their vote for their favorite representatives on their grade level Google Classrooms to decide East’s 2025 homecoming royalty.
Afterward, the color guard took the floor once again, and the marching band began playing to give the students an exciting performance.
Then, teachers and students flooded the floor to play the box stacking game. Each team, composed of five students from one grade level and a teacher, was tasked with stacking seven massive boxes on top of each other in their dedicated corners. Ms. Mills, co-advisor for the freshmen class of 2029 and Freshmen Andrew Belitsky (‘29), Rami Derman (‘29), Micah Grant (‘29), Ranyenna Nnoli (‘29), and Leeia Stank (‘29) earned the win, assembling their box tower the quickest out of all other teams.
Following the games, Rosenberg and Moyer recognized the fall sports teams, their captains, and records at this point in the season. The Field Hockey, Girls Soccer, Boys Soccer, Cheerleading, Girls Tennis, Girls Cross Country, Boys Cross Country, Volleyball, and Football teams were recognized, and their captains were invited to take the floor to be cheered on by the students in the crowd. The football team included a special announcement, asking East students to come out and support them that night at their homecoming, final regular season game vs. Bridgeton, a game they later won and finished the season with an undefeated record.
Next, captains and members of the previously listed teams, as well as some teachers, took the floor to play another game. Armed with a pool noodle in one hand and balancing a pizza box on the other, the players attempted to knock their opponent’s pizza box out of their hand while holding onto their own. After a competitive, but fun battle, Jessica Atlas (‘27) emerged victorious.
The excitement only continued as the cheerleading squad began another dance, this time joined by the football team, pink pom-poms and all.
After an epic performance with the cheerleaders, the football team began its special introduction. Team captains stood in the center of the gym, passing around a microphone to call down their other teammates from the bleachers, with each player earning another round of applause from the students in the audience.
Finally, after the cheers for the football team deafened the gym, students were dismissed with reminders to attend the game, vote for their homecoming royalty, and attend the Homecoming dance the following night.
On Saturday, October 25, students enjoyed another successful homecoming dance at Cherry Hill High School East. The event was a collaboration between the Student Government Association (SGA) and the Thespian Society, working together to create a fun night that students will never forget. The presidents of both organizations, Anna Bardunias (‘26) and Alexis Nowakowski (‘26), with the support of their respective boards, decided on the theme of HOCOrade, incorporating a masquerade theme into the standard homecoming festivities.
Students were invited to purchase their 11 dollar tickets beginning on October 16, about a week before the dance.
East staff and administrators opened the doors promptly at 7 p.m., where students were directed to a specific entrance that corresponded to their grade. Freshmen and sophomores entered through the student entrance, and junior and seniors entered through the main entrance.
This year’s dance was hosted in both cafeterias, with an additional room in F-wing functioning as a Sensory Room, a quiet space for students to go to throughout the night, and more games outside in the courtyard. Additionally, the Thespian Society ran a glitter tattoo room in the Little Theater, a quiet, yet still enjoyable opportunity for students. Snacks and refreshments were served in Cafeteria 1 throughout the evening, including brownies, assorted cookies, assorted chip packs, muffins, cupcakes, pretzel rods, fruit, and various other Halloween-themed treats. A “Candy Guess Jar”, hosted by the Thespian Society officers, and a Dracula cutout photo op station were also located in Cafeteria 1 and attracted many students throughout the night. In Cafeteria 2, the floor was packed the entire night with students excited and dancing with their friends.
Towards the end of the dance, SGA recognized Thalia Dain (‘26) and Brad Hendricks (‘26), this year’s homecoming royalty winners. These winners were selected from the homecoming court, as students were able to support their favorite nominees and cast their votes earlier in the week.
The majority of students stayed until the conclusion of the dance, around 10 p.m. Students enjoyed their time at the 2025 homecoming dance, and it will definitely live on in East history as a night to remember.
