Students, their families, and gathered friends speed-walked through the chilly nighttime weather to get to Building 8 where Homecoming: The Night of the Living Dance would be held.

Unlike a typical high school dance, Highline’s Homecoming, held on Oct. 29, was more interactive, with games, refreshments, and quieter spaces for those who needed it. Costumes were encouraged, and, near the end of the night, a costume contest with 15 participants took place.

Annabeth Kvenvolden, a Highline student who dressed up as Ghostface, felt that going to the Homecoming dance deepened her connection to life on campus. “Talking to people about costumes and stuff or movies, it’s pretty cool,” she said. “I think it’s pretty fun, I like the variety of costumes and the snacks, and everyone’s so nice. I think it’s a really nice environment.”

Chino Gonzales, a Q Center Leadership Advisor, collaborated with Q Center leads Jennifer Alexander and Parmida Fattahi to brainstorm advertising and logistics for the event. They detailed this process, saying, “We locked in a date to use Building 8, came up with the theme, ideas for activities like a costume contest and then created a flier. After that we researched DJs and options for a photobooth. We landed on DJ Richie IV and [went] with an organization called ‘In a Flash.’”

The budget for the dance was a mere $3,000 and the Q Center made the most of their resources. “We researched decorations that fit our theme and food options. We decided on Azteca and made a purchase request. Next, we created a day-of agenda that included a sign up for volunteers to support set up,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales cited the Q Center’s strong teamwork as why the event was so successful. “The Q student leaders took on specific roles. Each supported something different in terms of searching for DJs, photographers, and decorations. They also supported set up and announcements during the event.”

After sign in data was collected, it’s estimated that there were around 105 attendees, although this number doesn’t account for those who didn’t sign in, such as the children who were present.

As their final event of the quarter, the Q Center will be hosting a consent workshop on Dec. 8 in Building 2 from 1-3 p.m. Topics include healthy relationships, boundaries, and grooming warning signs. There will be resources for survivors, but everyone is encouraged to attend.