Homecoming festivities start Saturday

WILLMAR - Homecoming week at Willmar High School kicks off at 7 p.m. Saturday, with the annual senior high girls powderpuff football tournament at Hodapp Field.
The senior high is also continuing dress-up days during school hours.
Other events during the week include homecoming coronation at 7 p.m. Monday in the senior high theater and the homecoming game at 7 p.m. Friday against Moorhead.
This year Willmar High School is also doing something different for homecoming.
In years past, the Student Council put on a pepfest, which was held at the Senior High.
Pepfests were “lacking in attendance and enthusiasm” said WHS Student Council President Tate Hovland.
In order to generate more interest and enthusiasm, the student council is putting on a tailgating party before the football game against the Moorhead Spuds.
The tailgating party will have games, food and other activities in a “fun, family-friendly environment,” Hovland said.
Anyone can attend this free event, which begins at 5 p.m. at Kennedy’s Hodapp field. The homecoming dance will be at Kennedy Elementary following the game.
“We are hoping (tailgating) will pump up school spirit and increase involvement in school events,” said Jessalyn Canavan, who is one of the new student council co-advisors with Christina Kurkajetz. The lack of student involvement and school spirit was noticed by more than just the teachers at Willmar Senior High.
“A lot of people don’t have (school spirit) because they don’t think it matters,” said Chloe Halvorson, a senior at Willmar Senior High. Many of this year’s seniors hope to raise the school spirit and get people excited to be a part of their school.
“Is there a lack of school spirit? Yes,” said Bergen Vollan, another senior at WHS. “You just have to find a way to get the underclassmen involved because when you get up to the higher grades, you need to have that enthusiasm and leadership.”
One way a lot of the students enjoy getting involved is with the Cardinal pep band.
“Pep band always brings a lot of energy to the stands,” said Mary Carlson, secretary of the WHS Student Council.
Homecoming will be the first home game since school has started, which means the pep band will be playing throughout the game.
“The strong senior class definitely helps to lead the student section,” said Canavan. “It really started last year with the girls’ basketball games and has continued this year. Homecoming is a good kick-off for this.”