Shamrocks Celebrate Homecoming
Homecoming week festivities kicked off Saturday evening for the shamrocks of St. Patrick Catholic School as the student leadership hosted a high school dance. The week’s festivities continue throughout the week with spirit dress up days which usually bring high student participation at the local parochial school where students normally wear uniforms. Monday students will come to school in comfy clothes. Tuesday, students will wear their favorite sports team jersies. Wednesday, high school students will dress in their Sunday best as they attend weekly mass. Thursday, students will dress as their favorite cartoon characters in honor of the overall theme for the week, which is childhood cartoons. In preparation for the week’s theme, students have decorated their respective sections of the high school hallway with their graduating class’ theme: seniors - Sponge Bob, juniors - Dora the Explorer, sophomores - Scooby Doo, freshmen - Phineas and Ferb, and junior high - Mickey Mouse. Dress up days wrap up on Friday with shamrock spirit wear day. Shamrock spiritwear is available for purchase from Fabricated Customs on Kent Street in Portland or at their website www.fabricatedcustoms.com.
Friday’s celebrations kick off with donuts for all students at the beginning of the day. Later in the morning, the gentlemen shamrocks will take part in what has been unofficially dubbed the “manly-puff” volleyball coached by members of the varsity volleyball squad. After lunch, junior high and high school students will meet for a pep rally. This year, preparations for this annual tradition have required and especially high level of creativity on the part of student leaders. Usually pep rallies are held in the St. Patrick’s Gym, which is currently under renovations. As of this writing student leadership tells The Beacon that they plan to hold the pep rally outdoors if the weather cooperates. Following the pep rally, lady shamrocks will take to the gridiron for the annual “powder puff” football game coached by members of the varsity football team.
Prior to the football game Saturday evening, the St. Patrick PTO will host a tailgate party at Portland Raider Field at 5:30 PM. Junior high and high school students will process to the field from the school at 6 PM.
Homecoming royalty include freshmen reps: Payton Russman and Samanth Smith (left), sophomore reps Derec Fedewa and Carly Scheurer (second from left), junior reps Tristin Huhn and Avery Zimmerman (right), prince Parker Osborne, and Princess Sadie Easlick (front). Queen candidates include Ally Florian, Leah Kissane, and Samantha Teachwort (center). King candidates include Jeff Davlin, RileyKissane, and Breton Weller (center). The homecoming king and queen will be announced and crowned at half time of the football game, Saturday evening.
Homecoming weeks for the two Portland schools doesn’t usually coincide as both schools’ football teams play at Portland Raider Field. The Portland High School football team however will take to the field against Eaton Rapids on Friday evening in their homecoming game. The Shamrocks will play Saturday against Manistee Catholic Central with kickoff at 7:00 PM. The Shamrock football team is undefeated so far this season beating three opposing teams in shutout wins with a fourth team forfeiting their season.
PHOTO: Courtesy of St. Patrick Catholic School, photo by Sam Mauren.
DISCLAIMER: When not writing for The Beacon, Jordan D. Smith teaches high school science at St. Patrick Catcholic School.
