4 The Compass Friday, Decembers 1997
Homecoming 97:
Fashion, talent shows
‘da bombs!’ of the week
by Kimberly Hines
Homecoming '97 began with a bang
as students sang, stomped, and clapped
with the Essence of Praise Gospel Choir
on Sunday, Oct. 5 in Moore Hall audi
torium.
Hosted by Michael Marshall, a 1997
alumnus and former student director
of the choir, the gospel concert helped
set the mood for the week's events.
On Monday, Oct. 6, students piled
into Moore Hall auditorium once again
for a fashion show that many said they
had long anticipated.
"1 knew that the fashion show was
going to be da bomb!" said Ronel
Brewer, a model for the event. "Darryl
Turner (who organized the show) knew
what he was doing."
"The ambiance aof the show left me
speechless," said Pantina Murrell.
SGA President Tamara McCray said
she was pleased by student reaction to
the show.
"The fashion show was the best that
I have ever seen in my four years here,"
she said. "The auditorium was
packed."
Apollo Night, the next evening's
event, also packed the house. It was
hosted by Jerome Wilson, who mim
icked Showtime at the Apollo host
Steve Harvey. Students were ready to
boo and cheer their peers, hoping to
get a glimpse of the "Sandman" every
now and then, or see Andrea Harvey
strut her stuff like The Apollo's model,
Kiki Shepard.
Apollo Night, the Fashion Show, and
the Gospel Concert got students
pumped up and ready to party at the
Wednesday night Block Party/cookout.
However, many students said they
were disappointed when the music was
turned off at 11:00 p.m.
"I got all dressed up and went over
there and it was over," said India
Rhodes, a senior at ECSU.
The confusion grew out of a mistake
in fliers advertising the event, accord
ing to McCray.
"Regretfully, it was printed on the
fliers that the Block Party would begin
at lO p.m.," said McCray, "but the time
intended was for 8 til 11 p.m. Elizabeth
City has a noise ordinance, which goes
into effect at 11 p.m., so we had to turn
the music off."
For Thursday night's Comedy Show,
SGA booked Talent, X-Man, and Dean
Edwards to perform with a fee of $8.00
for students and $10.00 for the public.
However, SGA canceled the fee after
9:30 PM when only a few people had
showed up to pay.
"SGA was really disappointed with
the outcome of the comedy show," said
McCray. "We lost a tremendous
amount of money that night."
According to McCray, SGA spent
approximately $8,000 on the comedy
show and earned only $268.
Friday night's step show brought
alumni back to their alma mater to see
their fraternities and sororities repre
sented. The Sigma Gamma Rhos
opened the Fall Step Show, followed
by the AKAs, the Deltas, a joint perfor
mance of the Sigmas and Zetas; then
the Alphas, and the Kappas performed.
According to McCray, the step show
earned $10,878, which will be split 60-
40 between SGA and the Pan-Hellenic
Council (40 percent).
Following the step show, SGA spon
sored a dance in Williams Hall Audito
rium.
Saturday's events began early in the
morning with the annual Homecom
ing Parade through Elizabeth City. In
the afternoon football game, the Vi
king football team endured a painful
loss to Bowie State.
That evening, SGA sponsored a con
cert in the Vaughan Center with rap
sensation, KRS-One and Junkyard, a
Go-Go Band out of Washington, D.C.
The event was scheduled to begin at 10
p.m.
"Unfortunately, we did not get
started until midnight," said McCray
of the concert. "Many people were up
set and we were disappointed, but it
could not have been helped."
According to McCray, the promoters
were the reason for the lateness.
Despite the disappointments of the
week's events and the evening's events,
"the concert was a success, I think.",
said McCray. "Many students enjoyed
the concert, especially Junkyard."
Junkyard was still performing when
students began to pile in for the dance.
"I had fun at the concert, even though
there were only two acts," said ECSU
student Shaunell McMillan "I think it
was successful despite that."
According to McCray, the Concert
made approximately $10,000. Home
coming week generated approximately
$22,500 total income, she added. How
ever, SGA ended up with an approxi
mate $7,500 deficit, after expenses.
Since profit from homecoming usu
ally finances Viking Fest, several stu
dents wondered if that event would
take place.
However, McCray said that with or
ganizational support and student sup
port, Viking Fest can still happen.
"It's up in the air," she said. "It de
pends on the students' support of SGA
fund raisers. With student support,it
can be done."
"mm
I
Terrell Silver, winner of Apollo Night, sings "Never Make a Promise," by Dm Hill.
Zaarenetta Labre Williams shows off her recyclable wear in the Fashion Show, held
Nov. in Moore Hall.