Homecoming is traditionally marked by bustling football stadiums and crowded dances.

This year has been, obviously, very different.

Though covid-19 has forced school districts throughout Western Pennsylvania to scale back homecoming celebrations, schools — and parents — are still trying to salvage part of the hallmark high school experience.

Students have adapted, too, giving high marks to those who have found ways to uphold traditions and make unforgettable memories.

“It was very upsetting that we could not have a homecoming dance, but I think that something that didn’t change was our pride and our spirit throughout homecoming week,” said Josie Beckerleg, a member of Greensburg Salem’s homecoming court that held a celebration earlier this month. “I think the most positive thing was that everyone could attend the parade, and everyone’s enthusiasm and spirit stuck with us. We could still all come together, and I think that’s truly what homecoming is all about. I’ll have nothing but good memories.”

At New Kensington-Arnold, Superintendent Jon Banko welcomed fans last week for the homecoming football game. Gov. Tom Wolf recently eased spectator restrictions, so Banko estimated about 1,200 people were allowed inside the stadium to enjoy Friday’s homecoming game. It marked the first time students were allowed in the stands this season.

They recognized the homecoming court, which students already selected, on the field.

“As far as having a dance, that’s still off the table in these circumstances,” Banko said.

Apollo Ridge High School similarly had to scrap their dance.

Dan Consuegra, Apollo Ridge’s principal, said they’re organizing a homecoming night in November. They plan to recognize senior athletes and band members, as well as the homecoming court at an outdoor event in their stadium.

“We are also working to potentially continue our tradition of each grade level building floats,” he said.

“We love our students, and we want them to have as many opportunities to make memories while also ensuring the safety of everyone involved,” Consuegra said. “During this difficult time, the students of Apollo-Ridge have done an excellent job of adapting to the changing delivery of instruction and have earned the opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments with their peers. With this in mind, we looked at every option to provide these events for students.”

At some schools, traditional parades survived the pandemic, even though dances were cancelled.

Hempfield Area High School celebrated their homecoming last week with a homecoming court, parade and football game.

The seven girls who made up the homecoming court were escorted by their fathers, rather than dates, because of social distancing concerns, Principal Kathleen Charlton said. That’s a new tradition Charlton said she hopes will continue.

“The kids who really wanted to see the homecoming court were able to do that along the parade route,” Charlton said, adding that the band and cheerleaders also participated.

The event culminated with the homecoming football game and the crowning of the homecoming queen at halftime. Football players, cheerleaders, band members and members of the homecoming court were allowed to bring two family members.

At Kiski Area High School, where homecoming is slated for Oct. 16, the parade will also march on. Members of the homecoming court will ride in convertibles or Jeeps from the intermediate school to the stadium, according to Lindsay Smith, student council advisor.

“The court will do most of the things we would normally do — we have professional pictures, they chose an escort,” she said.

They’ll be recognized during a ceremony at the start of the homecoming football game. Athletes, band members, cheerleaders and members of the court will be permitted two guests each.

“There are things we can’t do, but we wanted to make this experience as special and memorable for them as we do for every other school year,” Smith said. “They’re really excited about it.”

Woodland Hills High School Principal Phillip Woods said their school planned a Friday parade to escort the homecoming court from a pep rally to the football game.

The pep rally, which was typically held indoors, was outside to the soccer stadium on Friday. Seniors were invited to the event, which included crowning of the homecoming king and queen, along with a cookout for students.

At the football game, the homecoming court was recognized beforehand and the band performed at halftime. Student athletes, band members, and members of the court could invite two guests each.

“We’re not able to hold a dance, but we are filling all the other expectations that we traditionally do,” Woods said.

At Greensburg Salem, the homecoming court participated in their standard traditions, minus the dance.

“Our traditional homecoming court is the senior class elects nominees for homecoming queen and they’ll choose a male escort. We were able to host our parade that we normally would down Main Street and have our traditional halftime ceremony during half time,” Christopher Gazze, a student council association advisor, said.

He noted that students and the families of homecoming court members attended the Oct. 2 football game.

“Just the excitement in the student body was probably the most normal thing we’ve seen all year,” Gazze said.

At Burrell High School, Principal John Boylan said the homecoming court will be honored during their homecoming football game Oct. 23.

“We would do as we normally would, which would be walking the court across the field,” he said, adding that each member of the court will have three tickets for family members. “We’re probably going to recognize both the king and queen at that event.”

The school nixed the homecoming dance, Boylan said.

But for students at Burrell High School, an unofficial homecoming dance will go on, thanks to a group of parents who are hosting an event at the Quality Inn ballroom on Oct. 24.

Brittne Vickers, whose daughter Jocelyn is on homecoming court, said that if the school couldn’t host the dance, the parents would.

“Just so the kids get what they deserve,” Vickers said. “They’ve missed out on so much already. They’ve done a fantastic job handling it. We just want to see them happy and we want to see them make memories their senior year.”

Laura Fisher, whose daughter Allison is a junior, is helping orchestrate the dance. She said the event will prioritize juniors and seniors, though upperclassmen may bring sophomores as guests. They won’t allow more than 250 students and there will be no guests from other schools.

Fisher said they’re trying to make the dance feel as normal as possible, despite covid-19 restrictions and safety measures — including a covid-19 waiver, health check and temperature screening.

“My biggest hope is just that they feel like they didn’t lose out on everything. It might not be normal, but at least they have a memory to look back on,” she said.

For Jocelyn Vickers, seeing her school scrap homecoming traditions was “heartbreaking.”

“I lost my track season for the 2020 season, so I already knew what it was like to have something taken away from you that was important for your high school career,” she said, adding that last year’s prom was also cancelled. “The senior class as a whole, we aren’t having what every other graduating class had.”

But being on homecoming court was still an exciting moment, she said. Thanks to her mother and other parents, she said, she’s excited to still have some form of the homecoming dance.

“This could be one of the last things that we remember from our high school experience,” she said.

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