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By MACKENZEE SIMMS | Staff Writer

PELHAM– In a showing of “Panther Pride,” Pelham City Schools is currently celebrating Homecoming week at Pelham High School with a slew of activities, culminating in a Community Pep Rally and Homecoming game.

For the first event of the week on Wednesday, Oct. 2, PHS students will pack into the school gym at 8:45 a.m. for a reverse powderpuff volleyball game. Later that evening, the school will gather at Ned Bearden Stadium for kickball at 6 p.m. and classic powderpuff football at 7 p.m.

On Thursday, Oct. 3, the Panther Prowl parade will commence at Pelham High School at 5:30 p.m. and proceed down Bearden Road. For the following 30 minutes, the community will gather around floats and cars filled with groups from PHS, Pelham Park Middle School and Pelham Parks and Rec youth sports.

The Panther Prowl parade will end near the Pelham Youth Football Field. There, the Community Pep Rally will begin at 6:30 p.m. Sponsored by the Pelham City Schools Foundation, the Community Pep Rally will include activities for all ages.

This year’s Community Pep Rally will also feature a new tradition: the Kindergarten-Senior Walk.

According to a release by Pelham City Schools, at the end of the pep rally, the kindergartners and seniors will gather at opposite sides of the football field. Both groups will start walking toward each other and merge in the middle and exchange gifts.

“All kindergarten and senior students are invited to join us on the youth football field for a heartwarming moment where these two groups will come together,” Pelham City Schools said. “The seniors will share the spirit with our youngest Panthers and kick off a new legacy of pride in the Pelham family.”

The following day on Friday, Oct. 4, the celebration will continue with a PHS pep rally at 2:20 p.m. to rally the student body before the Homecoming game against Spain Park at 7 p.m. While the Panthers go head-to-head against the Jaguars, the Homecoming Court will be introduced during halftime.

Regardless of the outcome of this game, PHS students will celebrate the end of the week at the Homecoming dance at American Village on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m.

Although exciting, the activities are not the only way for students to get involved.

Throughout the entire school week, students will observe dress up days to follow this year’s Homecoming theme, “Road Trip.” Each day of the day will represent different road trip destinations.

On Monday, the students started their road trip in California with the dress up theme of stunt doubles and celebrities. On Tuesday, the students traveled to Texas with a dress up theme of cowboy hats and flannels.

Wednesday will mark a night spent at a hotel with a pajama day theme, and the road trip will continue to Florida on Thursday where students will break out their vacation gear and sunglasses. On Friday, students will don hard hats and construction vests for the theme “Road Work Ahead.”

Ultimately, Pelham City Schools shared that the goal of the events and themes is to make Pelham Homecoming a celebration for all the schools and the entire Pelham community.

“We appreciate the Panther Pride and participation of our students and community at these events,” Pelham City Schools said. “It’s always a Great Day to Be a Panther!”