Every year, SHS has a homecoming dance and along with the dance, there is a parade. The parade consists of class officers and surrounding students constructing and decorating floats that will be put into the parade and then judged.

Southport has upheld the tradition of the floats and the friendly competition it creates among the classes for over twenty years, says Physics teacher Mrs. Stacie Matlock. Over the years, there have been many spectacular float themes such as the ninja turtles and Grease and many more. Each class is given the chance to show their artistic side by building a float to march in the parade before the homecoming football game.

This year, the teams have come up with some diverse ideas for themes that will up the ante once again.  Mrs. Erin Ancelet, english teacher and 2016 class sponsor says that the senior float will be incorporating memories from the past four years and creating a soundtrack of a compilation of the songs made from 2012 (their freshman year) until now.

“The ideas we have come up with so far are pretty fantastic. I have a good feeling about this,” Senior class president Alexis Meier said.

The 2016 class won last year’s float competition and Meier says she believes they will continue on their winning streak. SHe says they have different themes they’re trying to incorporate and the student body should look out for lots of candy and people on the float instead of just class officers.

Information from the junior class president, Taylor Kincaid, said that the junior class float is about past productions here at Southport because many of the people on the float committee are also in theater productions. The only problem the juniors are having is finding a trailer big enough to hold their float.

“We’re pretty confident that we have a good and elaborate idea and we’re currently working on posters and it’s looking pretty good [for us],”  Kincaid said.

English teacher and class of 2017 sponsor Mrs. Dawn Fowerbaugh agrees with Kincaid on the posters. She says that they won the poster portion of the competition last year and she is very confident that the juniors have that in the bag.

“To see the floats lined up on the circle in front of the school and see what the students came up with creates an atmosphere of unity and school spirit,” Fowerbaugh said.

The homecoming float parade is among many unifying events at SHS such as coffee house, powderpuff football, football games and the homecoming dance. The homecoming parade is open to SHS and the Southport community alike. It is a day for the community to unite and enjoy a celebration for SHS.