Following the Lip Dub shoot, MSM students and staff remained very busy. The main event? With no contention, it is safe to say that the Rockets have been the most focused on Homecoming Week.
Home Sweet Homecoming
The Rockets celebrated Homecoming Week Sept. 23-27. MSM’s Student Council gathered students from all grade levels the afternoon of Sept. 24 for the decoration of hallways in different candy-related themes. Some of the hallway artistry referenced Willy Wonka and Candyland, to name a few.
Sept. 27, Mount St. Mary presented a homecoming parade that made its way around campus. Many clubs and athletic teams participated by offering floats, as well as an army of students to toss out candy to spectators. Students from Sacred Heart Catholic School joined in the fun by watching the parade and eagerly awaited their chance at catching candy.
The game day pep rally began with the cheer and pom teams prompting a battle of school spirit … “Sit up and cheer, let’s know you’re here!” Usually, the seniors easily defeat the competition, but the sophomore class made their presence well known. “Sophomores, sophomores, sophomores, go, go, go!” was heard loud and clear. With much contention and regret, the seniors had to surrender their podium to the sophomores, for now at least.
The members of the homecoming court had the pleasure of watching their escorts name a plethora of makeup products or get pied in the face. The pep rally concluded with the unveiling of the Lip Dub video, which spent only one week in post-production.
That same night, the court was presented to the MSM community. Alexa Espinosa, Class of 2025, was named the Football Homecoming Queen. The rest of the court was composed of an attendant from each class. It was also announced that the senior class won the spirit stick for being the most involved with dress-out days and other activities around campus during Homecoming Week.
Finally, the game. And a big wrap up to the week it provided, with the Rockets rolling past Crooked Oak, 63-0, to move to 4-0 on the season.
Hispanic Heritage Month
During Hispanic Heritage Month, which began Sept. 15, MSM’s chapter of Spanish Honor Society leads the community in activities related to the celebration. The society placed a prayer box in the chapel for students and staff to place prayer intentions. During the month, members of the society have been leading announcements in the morning that give a short biography on different saints who are important in Hispanic culture or are from Spanish-speaking countries.
Some that have made appearances thus far are Saint Rose of Lima and Saint Ignatius of Loyola. On Sept. 28, society members participated in the Parade of the Americas.
Mercy Day
MSM celebrated the annual Mercy Day on Sept. 24. Marking the anniversary of the opening of the first House of Mercy in 1827, Mercy Day is celebrated worldwide by the Sisters of Mercy and Mercy Schools, of which Mount St. Mary is included.
Catherine McAuley opened the first House in Dublin, Ireland. The theme for this year’s anniversary: “For peace the whole world through, what am I prepared to do?”
Staff Spotlight
Kaylyn Henderson is the brain and heart behind MSM’s video productions, and particularly, the Lip Dub. She teaches students about the creativity and hard work that goes into videography through her video production and MSM media classes. She encourages her students to “seriously think outside the box” and let their imaginations run wild while shooting and editing their projects.
Henderson, wishing to shed some light onto the busy production that is the Lip Dub, explained how “the Lip Dub tradition began in 2014 and since then, there have been six productions.”
Pre-production for the project began weeks in advance of the shoot.
“We started planning the first day of school,” she said. “The MSM media kids went back and forth for several days on what song to choose, but once we chose ‘Unwritten,’ all the pieces fell into place.”
She said the project wouldn’t have been successful without the enthusiasm and participation of the MSM community.
“From Student Council leading communication, to pom and cheer putting choreography together, and to our staff and students giving 110% during the shoot,” Henderson said, “I can’t thank everyone enough.”
Photo: Floats line up before the MSM homecoming parade on Sept. 27. Photo Lucy Rosenhamer ‘26.