Planning for the homecoming carnival has already begun, even with the event not happening until September 19. Covering the entirety of the main campus courtyard, the event itself takes up most of the outdoor space in campus and coordination efforts to put on from an administrative perspective alone. In addition, the many clubs and organizations that participate in the carnival itself plan from the beginning of the year up until the event to make sure that they are represented in the best way possible.
However, there are certainly differing opinions over whether or not this extended planning is actually worth it. For some clubs like drama, who put on the haunted house at this event, the carnival is one of their only opportunities to fundraise and get money to use throughout the rest of the year. In their case, the planning and effort that goes into the event is most certainly worth it in order to ensure that they can generate as much participation and revenue as possible in the short time of the carnival’s duration.
On the other hand, for a small majority of the organizations that get money throughout the year from a variety of other fundraising efforts, the carnival is more of an exercise to generate awareness for the programs themselves. For example, with the operation of the Puma Den throughout the year, DECA makes a relatively small amount of money from the carnival compared to the money that the store generates throughout the rest of the year. In the case of their club, the awareness that the store generates for the DECA club, and the marketing classes in general, is more valuable, as it gains membership interest to keep the program going for years to come.
Whether money is made or not, the awareness that is gained from a club’s participation in the carnival is valuable nonetheless. In the past, where clubs like Photography Club and Fashion participated, they did not monetize their efforts. By putting on games and awarding prizes, these clubs create the size of the event that makes it worth attending from a student or community perspective. If only the few clubs that made money participated, the event itself would be small compared to its current state, where almost everyone participates by default.
Whether its in the form of money or just generating awareness, a club’s participation in the homecoming carnival not only benefits them, but also the broader school community as a whole. With these considerations, a month or so of planning is worth it in order to ensure the event’s success now and for the future.
