From parades to rallies, Palatine High School is combining Homecoming celebrations with its 150th anniversary, bringing the community together for a week of events.
Thursday will see a homecoming parade, featuring a plethora of school clubs and activities, and notable people from the community, followed by a game from the girls’ flag football team. It will be the first year the girls team plays during Homecoming, joining the traditional boys game
Friday will see the Homecoming football games against Glenbrook South, and the dance will take place on Saturday at Chic Anderson Stadium. It’s hard to talk or think about homecoming without putting the dance into consideration.
“I think the most exciting part of Homecoming, other than the dance is that it gives us a chance to really think about what it means to be a Palatine Pirate, and all the things that make our school special compared to other schools,” said Jim Nowak, a sponsor of the student council at PHS. “Because we are such an old high school, and this is our 150th year here, we’re really given a chance this year to kind of take a look back at the history of Palatine High School.”
Nowak mentioned that he was excited that the school was bringing back traditions that haven’t occurred in a while, such as the outdoor royal rally and the parade.
This year’s Homecoming theme, “Dancing Through the Decades,” features several trends throughout the 150 years of PHS’s history. Things such as a dedicated collection of Cutlass news segments and pictures near entrance 2 have been installed. 80s and 90s pop culture icons can also be seen all over the walls on the second floor.
“Just have fun with it,” Nowak said. “Participate in as much as you can, because you’re only gonna have 4 years to do this, you’re gonna look back and hopefully think about these years you had at Palatine High School, think about them fondly, and have good memories of the good things that you did.”
The week gives the school community a chance to come together to celebrate, remember traditions, and show Pirate pride.
