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The Official Student Paper of Riverside Poly High School

Poly’s 2022 Criticized, Revered and All-Original Glow Dance

Sep 6, 2022

Written by: Alex Mueller, Editor

EXCITEMENT: Poly’s 2022 “Glow Back to School” dance conjures both happiness and contempt under the backdrop of a new school year.

Faced with the horror of a new school year, students danced to the rhythm of music in a symphony of color. Friends gathered and people laughed, yet the ominous shadow of school lingered in the background. Despite these absurd conditions, however, food and comradery served as coping mechanisms, allowing students to enter the school year welcomed.

August 5, 2022 marked the continuation of an annual tradition at Poly – the back to school dance. Each year, Poly celebrates the return of students through creative and unique dance themes such as the 2019 Glow Back to School Dance, the 2020 No Back to School Dance, the 2021 Glow Back to School Dance, and – most notably – the 2022 Glow Back to School Dance! Providing students free entry with a student ID, this dance served as a welcoming event not only for incoming freshmen, but returning upperclassmen as well.

For this glow-in-the-dark themed dance, Poly ASB and staff provided glow-sticks and a dance floor in the 600s quad alongside a DJ, speaker, photo booth, and an array of music, bringing new and returning students together. “I got to see a lot of people I haven’t seen in a long time,” reported Aidan Christopher (9), expressing excitement for the dance’s social atmosphere alongside Theodore Howell (9), who viewed the dance as “fun.” Reciprocating this enthusiasm, Karely Went (12) cryptically accentuated “lit crazy movie” as her opinion on the dance. Indeed, social interaction accompanied dancing, with many, whether dancing or merely standing to the side, simply enjoying socializing with their friends and biding time before the school year began.

Most pertinently, however, the dance provided food. Attaining special status, the first students to arrive gained the opportunity to both eat and dance. Free food, according to Shannon Soto (12), “was a step-up from Prom,” serving as an alluring (and debatably necessary) addition to the Glow Dance’s atmosphere.

Yet, despite the enthusiasm of many students, some students expressed divergent views. Victoria A. (12), for instance, believed the dance “had so much potential,” but it seemingly lacked enthusiasm, with “a bunch of kids” simply “rounded up like cattle.” According to Victoria, most individuals failed “to put [in] their effort to have fun,” instead seeking to show off on social media. Emphatically, Jacob Goldstein (12) further criticized the dance, viewing its atmosphere and music selection as particularly abhorrent and childish for high school, unsuited for anyone “older than the age of twelve.”

Though facing criticism and reverence and positioning itself ominously before the start of school, the “Glow Back to School” dance ultimately represented the unity of Poly, with friends gathering and simply enjoying the last of their summer. In other terms, this glow dance marked the initiation of a school year – a year where memories will be made and Poly students will triumph.

Jared Cochran (12) and Vaughn Philips (12) fighting over a bundle of glow sticks with Alondra Plascencia (11) in the background.

Shannon Soto (12), Kenden Staley (12), and Karely Wentt (12) are spending time with each other.

Luke Mariel (11), Nadia murguia (11) Moises lujano (11),  Kristian Montes (11),  and Luis Garcia (11) are enjoying the dance.

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