Welcome to Homecoming Week: Escape to Rio!
Pack your bags, Cougars — it’s going to be a Brazil-iant week. Grab your boarding pass, check the dress code at every gate, and get Rio-dy for a week that ends with Carnival Dance at the Cougar Den on Saturday night.
Tickets (Your Boarding Pass to Rio)
Your $20 homecoming ticket is on sale Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this week! Tickets will be available at the table in the Commons during lunch, or you can come to the Counseling office anytime during the day. We take cash, check, and Venmo. (Sorry, no Brazilian dollars.)
Please make sure your name gets on the ticket list and you get your actual ticket!!! If your name is not on the list, you won’t be able to get into homecoming — no exceptions, no standby, no sneaking past the gate agent!
Tuesday, September 8: Carnival Kickoff
- HAM schedule!!
- Pep Rally Day!! Rio has Carnival. We have the Cougar Pep Rally. Bring the same energy.
- It’s an ORANGE and BLUE day!! Samba on in wearing your Cougar colors.
- Early releases for some students (Cheer 9:30, Band 9:50, Senior Football Players and Hoco Court 10:15, Fall Sports Athletes 10:30). Please report to the auditorium!!
- All other students will report straight to the auditorium after period 4 at 10:36.
- Juniors and Seniors vote for Homecoming King and Queen. Every Carnival needs its Rio royalty!
Wednesday, September 9: Run Away to Rio Day
- Regular Schedule!
- Run Away to Rio Day / Anything but a Backpack Day!! Your luggage is your call — carry-on, checked, or questionable.
- Wear Airport outfits!! Wear PJ’s, sweats, comfy clothes — first-class comfort on an economy budget. NO shorts allowed except uniform shorts. Pay attention to the rules — TSA will be checking!
Thursday, September 10: Coastal Casual Day
- Regular Schedule!
- Coastal Casual Day! Copacabana meets the Commons.
- Wear Hawaiian shirts and skirts w/sweatpants, khakis, flower leis — Ipanema vibes, Nebraska weather. NO shorts allowed except uniform shorts.
Friday, September 11: Trek Through the Trees Day
- HAM Schedule!
- Mass Day! Rio’s most famous landmark is Christ the Redeemer — feels like the right way to spend a Friday morning.
- Trek through the trees day! Time to explore the Amazon (the rainforest, not the website).
- Wear camo clothes and blend into the jungle. NO shorts allowed except uniform shorts. FACE PAINT IS NOT ALLOWED — even the toucans go bare-faced.
Saturday, Sept 12th: Homecoming Dance Details (Welcome to Rio!)
- Doors open at 7:00 — you’ve landed! Take pictures with your friends using the photo backdrops Student Council created.
- Coronation at 8:00 — take a seat in the auditorium and find out who will be crowned King and Queen of Rio.
- Dance 8:30 – 10:30 — samba, bossa nova, or whatever it is you do. No judgment.
- Baggage claim is the East Commons. Please use it to store any bags, shoes, or other items you bring to the dance. An adult will be monitoring this area for you. Do NOT store your items in the bathrooms. Anything left in the bathroom will be moved to the East Commons by an adult.
- You do NOT need to bring your ticket to the dance. You’re already on the flight manifest — we will check your name off the list when you arrive.
- Customs check: students will be breathalyzed upon arrival.
About Gross Catholic High School
Gross Catholic, a co-educational, college preparatory high school, began its proud heritage of academic excellence rooted in the Marianist tradition in 1968. We consider ourselves one of the best Catholic schools in Omaha, Bellevue, and Papillion. The school motto Dux Esto (“Be a Leader”) is at the core of its extraordinary mission, innovative spirit, and fundamental values. The school offers a challenging environment and outstanding quality of life, both in academics and co-curricular activities, with a strong focus on STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics) education. The spirit of Christian service and giving back is part of everything the school does. Gross Catholic’s top-tier status is reflected in its talented faculty, staff, and coaches who take great pride in seeing virtually every graduate head to college, often to the most prestigious domestic and international universities and service academies. Together with families and alumni, Gross Catholic forges relationships for a lifetime, helping to ready the next generation to be exemplary, principled leaders of the world.
To discover the Gross Catholic difference, contact us at 402.734.2000 or visit our Admissions page.