This Thursday, September 29, 2022, is Rocky Mount Academy’s Homecoming game for the 2022-23 school year. Because of the imminent Hurricane Ian, the homecoming game has been changed from its usual Friday night to Thursday so that no one has to miss out on the fun. 

Though this event comes every year, it is still something that we as students greatly look forward to. This year we will be playing Wayne Christian School at 7 pm. So far, their record is 2-1, losing only to John Paul II with a score of 32-74. Other teams they have played include Rocky Mount Prep with a winning score of 33-0 and Halifax Academy with a score of 34-28. Our own record is 3-2 with losses to JPII and Cary Christian, so it should be an interesting, fairly even matchup! As Reggie Branch, running back, states, “This game is going to be… entertaining [and] definitely something to watch!” 

Not only does Homecoming include the famous football game, but it also includes a pep rally to get us in the spirit. Thursday at 2 pm, all RMA students and faculty will gather together in the gym for a schoolwide pep rally. This year the pep rally will feature our Lower School and Varsity cheerleaders, faculty vs. student games, faculty relay races, and the presentation of the homecoming court, which is made up of four representatives from 9th, 10th, and 11th grades, and six from 12th. Our homecoming representatives for this year include 

• 9th: Mckenna Rogers, Caroline Epps, Gehrig Miller, and Ayden Lovely
• 10th: Elizabeth Jackson, Kaylee Wright, Cameron Dawkins, and Edward Evans
• 11th: Avery Cumpata, Jodie Coble, Marti Mcknight, and Cooper Epps
• 12th grade: Mackenzie Davis, Mary Kimbrell Livermon, Elle Bartolomeo, Isaac Lewis, Harrison Vaughn, and Gabe Winham

When asked about her participation on this year’s court, junior and new student Jodie Coble said, “I am so excited for this experience!” The rest of us are also looking forward to seeing who wins homecoming king and queen. The king will be crowned at the end of the pep rally, while the queen will be announced at halftime at the game that night.

To round out the week of festivities, our Upper School SGA has planned a dance for Saturday night. With Mr. Ballance as our DJ, decorations, snacks, and more, the homecoming dance–our first indoor Homecoming since pre-pandemic days–is going to be spectacular.