![Benjamin Williams and Reese Sherman, social studies teachers, explain department information a guest. "This [open house] was, for me, a great opportunity to meet family in the district that will soon be attending the high school," Williams said.](https://www.utimesonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/DSC_9117-1200x800.jpg)
Senior class takes third place in float competition
November 7, 2019
The 2019 Homecoming parade began with warm weather and clear skies and ended with a victory for the class of 2020. The senior float placed third in the annual float competition–a rarity that none of the classes have seen in some years. Jackson Park brought home first place, while Pershing came in a close second. With very little prep time and few helping hands, the senior class spent the entire week leading up to the parade putting in lots of work to create their cosmos-themed float.
“We started [putting together ideas] two weeks before the parade and stayed after school every day painting and cutting,” senior class sponsor Marian Reed, said. “It was a very intense and rigorous process.”
After renting a trailer from U-Haul at the last minute and receiving wood from Stephen Wurst, woodworking teacher, the senior class was able to piece together a winning float and develop a shared sense of accomplishment.
“It was fun to hang around my peers and classmates while building the float,” Roberta Booth, senior, said. “We all had the same goal of creating a great float.”
The class of 2020 were not the only ones enduring intense homecoming preparation. The marching band faced its own obstacles to have a successful performance, especially with the loss of several seniors from the previous year. Evidently, this has resulted in a smaller band than years before.
“Our percussion section is larger than it was, but our band is much smaller than last year,” said Maxine Adams, sophomore. “If you don’t have the people to play the instruments you need, that makes it difficult.”
This didn’t seem to affect the band’s performance in the parade, and they even had a U. City alumni band member, Alan McFadden, join in at the football game and play the bass, which they were missing.
“It’s really special to see the alumni come back and talk about how much they love and miss the band, Adams said. “There was a lot of positivity this year despite the intense training and prep we had.”
As usual, closing the parade were the Golden Girls, who were lead by captain Essence Green. Dressed in their vibrant gold body suits, they performed a poised and well put together routine from start to finish.
“We’ve improved a lot since the summer as a result of us all becoming closer and forming bonds with one another,” Essence Green, junior, said. “I think we really showed out this year.”
