In American high school and college traditions and culture, homecoming has held a vital place in fostering community and school spirit. It all started with a football game at the University of Missouri in 1911. The school’s athletic director wanted to make the students more excited about the upcoming big rival game. His idea was to create an event so big it involved the whole community, especially the alumni. After the celebration involving parades and rallies, high schools and colleges took notice, spinning the idea in their own ways, centering the celebration around big football games.
In our own small community, football isn’t a sport offered to the student body. So, we make due with our own biggest sport: basketball. Usually, Panguitch’s homecoming would be around the time we get back from winter break. However, due to some scheduling difficulties, the school has decided to do it the week before winter break starts. Last Monday was the homecoming queen pageant, cake auction, and crowning. The names are as follows:
Homecoming queen: Josslyn Griffin
1st Attendant: Sophie Fawson
2nd Attendant: Hailey Yardley
Ms. Congeniality: Berkli Black
To kick off the week of traditional events and dress-up days the student council has planned, there was a Mr. PHS competition on Tuesday. Mr. PHS is like the homecoming queen pageant, but it’s less formal. Since there aren’t any judges, the goal of Mr. PHS is to get the students to vote for you. This usually involves getting them to laugh. Whoever can make the students laugh the hardest and is the most memorable usually wins. The winners will be shown to the public with their female counterparts at the boys basketball game against Wayne this Wednesday.
The next few days the high school will be showing off their alumni in different assemblies. To show the students the people that came before them, alumni of all different ages and generations will be in attendance. There will be speeches, trivia, games, traditional Panguitch music, and even a Powwow performance from Kelvin Yazzi.
To end the week, we will be having a homecoming dance. It will be at 8 o-clock on Saturday at the high school gym, and is a formal dance. The high school can’t wait to see the students and their dates dressed up in their finest suits and dresses. With photo opportunities, food and drink, and plenty of music, it will be a night and a week to remember.
– by Thomas Dodds (12th) Panguitch