As Portage High School’s 2013 spirit week comes to a close, students eagerly await Friday night’s homecoming game for their final chance to show their Portage pride.
Students celebrated all week long. From dress-up themes each day to an array of after school homecoming activities, there was no shortage of ways to be involved. Monday, the students walked into school sporting t-shirts, sweatpants, and hoodies with logos of their favorite colleges. Sophomore Ruth Nicholson and her fraternal twin sister Jordan decided to wear matching Butler University sweatshirts.
"We thought it would be cool because we're twins [but we never] dress alike, so we thought it'd be nice to look alike for once," Nicholson said.
The high school incorporated various college activities into homecoming week because this was also Indiana’s College Go Week. Students watched daily videos on various Indiana colleges to give them information on the different schools. One college fight song was also played each morning and students could guess to which school it belonged for the chance to earn prizes.
After school on Monday, the junior and senior girls gathered at the football field for the annual powder puff football game. Roles were reversed as the upperclassmen girls stormed the field while a few boys donned old cheerleader uniforms and chanted from the sidelines.
In the end, the seniors beat the juniors 24-12.
“I will [always] remember when we won and all of us ran in a circle together and screamed, ‘Seniors!’” senior Jomari Miranda said.
On Tuesday, students celebrated Pajama Day. All over school, kids got comfy in slippers and footie pajamas.
Afterward, sophomores, juniors, and seniors gathered at the bus barn where they built floats for the traditional competition between the classes for Thursday’s parade. Although the freshmen were unable to get enough people to help with their float, the other three grades were hard at work all afternoon.
Wednesday, The Pride of Portage Marching Band surprised the student body by performing the school’s fight song in the commons area. Students in the commons took videos and sung along with the music.
“It was really cool to bring [the marching band music] to the student body,” sophomore clarinetist Nick Blue said.
Many of the marching band members played the song in “nerdy” clothes as they celebrated the Nerd Day dress up theme.
On Thursday, kids were challenged to wear their brightest clothes for Neon Day. There was so much participation that many students compared the hallways to a pack of highlighters.
Many Portage residents then attended the homecoming parade Thursday evening. It began in the parking lot between Willowcreek Middle School and Ayelsworth Elementary School, traveled across Central Avenue and then finished in Founders Square. Many organizations were represented, including elementary school groups, sports like football and the Portage High School Thespian group.
The theater group built a large wooden Indian and had students dressed up as Trojans go to inspect the "gift." Then, other students jumped out of the Indian and attacked the Trojans.
"The thespian float was a magnificent display of an Indian surprise attack," senior and thespian president Noah Volk. said “[I think it was] the best acted out float in the whole parade, maybe the best float in years!"
After the hype created by the parade, students came to school decked out in Portage gear on Friday morning. Many were sporting red, white and black face paint to support the football boys. The marching band played the fight song in the commons once again.
As a special treat, the students were released from class five minutes early to attend the pep rally. The halls buzzed with excitement as kids prepared themselves for the final event before the football game.
During the rally, the dance team and cheerleaders performed previews of their lineups for the game. Junior Jessenia Tribbel sang a set of songs in the middle of the pep rally, after having performed the national anthem to start everything off. Senior girls participated in the annual tradition of choreographing and performing a short dance.
“It was a great group of girls I got to work with and it made us closer as an entire grade!” senior Savannah Yuhasz said.
Homecoming Queen Nominees were introduced one last time before the winner is announced at tonight’s’ game. They were dressed up as football players, and each one was escorted by a member of the football team in wigs and dresses.
“I almost peed [with laughter] when I saw them the first time; so funny! Talk about a hot date,” said Nominee Jordan Kwiatkowski.
Afterward, the classes competed for the revered Spirit Stick, with seniors winning the competition by cheering the loudest. After it was announced they won, they stormed down the bleachers and cheered, if possible, even louder.
Within the student body, the student media department encouraged kids to participate all week by inviting them to take pictures in spirit wear and then post the images on Twitter with specified hashtags (such as Tuesday’s #PHSPajamarama). From there, the media students used their @PortageHSMedia Twitter account to find the images and broadcast them to a larger part of the student body through the popular page.
"It was cool to see all the different outfits right in one place," freshman Taylor Extin said. "The twitter account is great in that it has all the information you could need for any school event at easy access."
The Twitter account is just one way students aided in school spirit. Throughout the week, the various activities kept students excited for the big football game.
“I though it went really well! All of the elements came together in the end, everyone had a great time, and most importantly we got ourselves and our football players pumped for the game tonight,” student body president Matt Bliss said, who coordinated most of the spirit week events.
Portage’s homecoming game will take place at their felid on Friday night at 7:00, where they will battle the Chesterton Trojans. At halftime, the winners of the titles of Homecoming Queen and Mr. Football will be announced.
Go Big Red!
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