From Kelly Busch
Creston
I would like to take this opportunity to address the current “homecoming week” festivities. I am a Creston High School graduate and one of my greatest memories is homecoming. I can still remember the first year my mom and I attended the queen coronation at the “old” high school. Standing out front at the conclusion of the crowning of the queen, having the cheerleaders lead the crowd in cheers, the band playing the CHS fight song making the queen and her court feel like royalty.
Homecoming by definition is a time to “come home” celebrate/reminisce on your school days. I am all for changes in traditions. One of the additions I appreciate is the hall of fame induction, which began back in 2005. Unfortunately, the individuals who are inducted are not getting the overwhelming community support they deserve due to the ceremony being held on Friday afternoon. The current student body often times does not know who the inductees are but have heard stories about them as told by their parents, grandparents or neighbors. Last year’s inductee Gary Bucklin stated in his speech of how he had moved on to his second generation of sports announcing, wouldn’t it have been great if the first generation could have been in attendance to hear about how honored he was to receive the award.
I personally think if events were held in the evening, with the queen coronation, hall of fame induction and a small pep rally with fireworks, the community attendance would increase. I realize that the queen coronation is for the current high school students, and the school wants the student body’s involvement/participation, but as a parent I want to make memories with my children just as my parents did with me by attending the events together. The students who want to attend will find a way to attend.
I attended last year’s pep rally on Wednesday night, the queen coronation, hall of fame induction, homecoming parade and football game on Friday. The pep rally had great attendance by the public sector. I was disappointed to see the student body class cheer participation dwindle as it progressed from freshman to seniors. While attending the queen coronation/hall of fame induction, the young man sitting next to me had his phone nicely tucked in his shirt so he could text or play a game while the events were going on, a sign to me he clearly didn’t care about the event or want to be in attendance.
Many employers have employees who would love to attend the events that are currently scheduled for Friday. However, that is not possible if we intend to keep businesses operating. I feel extremely sorry for the Creston Community School staff, elementary and middle school students since they are unable to attend the events of Friday afternoon because they are in the classroom even though the queens/escorts and inductees are former students of their classroom, friends, siblings, neighbors, or perhaps a former co-workers.
I am just one voice attempting to speak for many, but would appreciate revamping of the festivities to allow for more attendance from the community.