Festus High School alumni and other supporters are invited to join current students as they celebrate homecoming this week.
“We look forward to homecoming every year,” said Kevin Pope, the Festus R-6 School District communications and special projects coordinator. “We welcome alumni back to campus to celebrate our Tiger spirit.”
He said the theme for this year’s homecoming is “The Greatest Showman.”
The first public activity will be the homecoming parade at 1 p.m. Friday.
“It will pass through campus, exit the stadium parking lot onto Sunshine Drive, proceed east on West Main Street to Main Street, where it will end at Brierton Lane,” Pope said. “The areas around campus are for students. We ask that the public watch the parade along Sunshine Drive, West Main and Main streets.”
Dr. Karen Gehrs, a 1979 Festus High School graduate and this year’s Festus R-6 Hall of Fame inductee, will ride in the parade. She recently retired following a career in ophthalmology.
At 5 p.m. Friday, an annual chili supper fundraiser for the National Honor Society will be held in the cafeteria at Festus High School, 501 Westwind Drive. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and younger.
Gehr’s hall of fame induction ceremony is set for 5:30 p.m. that day in the Festus High School lobby. The district will also recognize her at 6:40 p.m. at Tiger Stadium prior to the start of the Festus football team’s homecoming game at 7 p.m. against the Farmington Black Knights.
Tickets for the football game cost $3 for adults and $2 for students. Senior citizens may get in for free with a pass that can be picked up at the Roy Burnside Administrative Building, 1515 Mid-Meadow Lane.
The homecoming king and queen will be announced during halftime of the football game. The homecoming court includes seniors Emelia Coplin, Addison Cupp, Jessica Hawkins, Gracie Sommers, Brayden Beers, Darreon Box, Aiden Clifton and Cohen Compton; juniors Clara Lincoln, Hope Munoz, Bailee Tolbert, Max Foglesong, Brayden Good and Ben Richards; sophomores Maggie Drury, Malia Lucas, Zada Piva, Landry Partney, Jack Patterson and Tegan Tucker; and freshmen Brooklyn Allen, Stella Barron, Ada Reno, Joseph Colburn, Joseph Hindman and Eli Shoopman.
A homecoming dance for students and their guests will be held Saturday in the Festus High School gym.
Pope said the district’s high school, middle school, intermediate school and elementary school students have their own special dress-up days during the school week leading up to the Friday and Saturday homecoming activities.