Due to scheduling conflicts between SHS and Perry Meridian, SHS’s homecoming parade will be cancelled this year, alternating instead for “Cardfest,” a tailgate style event.
“There’s just not enough staff,” SHS principal Amy Boone said. “Between all the other stuff that happens on a Friday, (they) just don’t have enough staff to run two parades.”
On Aug. 8, Boone was notified by Jane Pollard, Perry Township’s Assistant Superintendent for Career Preparation, that both Perry Meridian and SHS had their homecoming parades on the same day.
After discussions between both schools, Boone attempted to work out something between them. However, since Perry Meridian was the last one to move their parade years ago, it was SHS’s parade that had to be cancelled this time.
“They ended up moving their parade, or doing something a little bit different,” Boone said. “So because that had happened, the ball was kind of in our court to have to figure it out.”
Boone, along with the administration, started to think about logistics and attempted to find solutions, such as changing homecoming week or switching any of the associated activities to another day.
Before making any decision, Boone held a meeting with Booster Club sponsors and officers to discuss the information they had at hand.
After being notified of the situation, Booster Club officers expressed their own thoughts of the situation.
“(I felt) a little mad, a little upset,” Booster Club Co-President senior Aiden Quinlin said. “But, I think that we can really bounce back and make it really good.”
Booster Club sponsors expressed their concerns and thoughts for this situation too.
“Well, I was like, ‘oh, what are we going to do?’,” Booster Club sponsor Stacey Matlock said.
After considering options, Booster Club, administration and the Athletic Department decided to cancel the homecoming parade and create a new event this year. Instead of the homecoming parade, SHS will have “Cardfest,” an event similar to the homecoming parade but in a different style.
Described as a tailgate, SHS’s homecoming event will be hosted on the front lawn of the school. Clubs and sport teams will be invited, each having their own tent, food trucks will be present and the introduction to the homecoming court will take place.
Still undecided if Cardfest should become the new homecoming parade, Booster Club, Boone and the administration will continue to meet and consider their options.
“If this turns out to be a really good thing for us, maybe we could do a combination of both…,” Quinlin said. “It’s really going to depend on how (the event) goes.”
