Homecoming is a five-day period celebrating school spirit. Few events display students’ spirit and sense of community quite like the annual Volunteer Day, always held on the Wednesday of Spirit Week during Homecoming.
This is the fifth year for the activity, with approximately 500 Perry High School students spending Wednesday donating their time and energy to a wide variety of projects in and around the community.
Students picked up trash, washed windows, visited assisted living and long-term care facilities, helped at Habitat for Humanity, were involved in pet care and pet washing, aided in grounds keeping at Violet Hill cemetery, performed several duties at the various school buildings and more.
Volunteering began at 8:30 a.m. and lasted until 11 a.m., when students returned to Dewey Field for a grill-out lunch. At noon they were back at it again, working at any number of sites until approximately 2 p.m.
Homecoming celebrations will continue Thursday and Friday. The cross country team will host their only home meet of the season Thursday at the Perry Golf and Country Club, beginning with the middle school races at 4:15 p.m. The public is invited to attend and cheer on the Bluejay and Jayette harriers.
At 8 p.m. Thursday the community will be welcome at the PHS gym for a pep rally and the coronation of the new Homecoming King and Queen. Zach Roberts and Erica Tenold, the Class of 2015 royalty, are expected to be in attendance to crown their successor. After the coronation, all are invited to cross McKinley Street to the Perry Athletic Complex for a bonfire and continuing celebration.
Students will dress in red-white-and-blue Thursday for Patriotic Day, with freshmen (red), sophomores (white), juniors (black) and seniors (blue) to wear class colors Friday. Game Day events will be held in the PHS gym at 1 p.m.
Each class is competing to earn “spirit points” which are awarded based on the number of participants dressing according to the day (Monday was Pajama Day and Tuesday Twin Day). Points are also given for Home Room door decorations, Game Day events and more. The winning class will be announced at halftime Friday and will earn the PHS Spirit Stick, which will be displayed, along with the winning class, in the PHS trophy case.
Perry will host Algona at Dewey Field in a Class 3A District 2 battle Friday. There will be no freshman game prior to the varsity contest, which will kick off at 7:30 p.m.
