Challenge students to show their school spirit with a contest in which each contestant either sings a song or reads a poem that displays school spirit. These entries range from serious to humorous. Students watching the contest then get to vote for their favorite contestant by standing up when that contestant is presented on stage at the end of the contest. The contestant with the most votes wins a prize, such as a limousine rental for the homecoming dance or a gift card for dinner on the night of the dance.
Challenge each homeroom class to decorate its room to show the most school spirit. A group of teachers is elected to tour each of the rooms the day before the homecoming game. The teachers vote on which classroom has shown the most school spirit in decorating for homecoming. That class wins a pizza party or other lunch supplied from a local restaurant and purchased by the school.
Engage in a prank competition with the school that your team is playing. Set boundaries for the pranks, such as that nobody may be injured in the pranks and property cannot be permanently damaged. Choose a group of school staff from each of the two schools to vote on which pranks are the best and determine the winner. That school is given the title of "Prank Champions" for the week.
Choose a theme from popular culture for your school's homecoming dance. As an example, if there is a popular event coming in the near future, such as a royal wedding, choose that as the theme for your dance. Another theme option relates to the season, such as a swimsuit party if your area is experiencing a recent wave of hot weather. Other themes are based on popular television shows, such as dressing up as your favorite actor in a television series or movie.