As the school year ramps up, the student council has planned a week full of activities for students as well as staff. The week is full of dress codes students can participate in and events during and after school to celebrate Park pride.  

For student council member and senior Katelyn Hysell, homecoming spirit week is an opportunity to allow the school to bond. 

“It shows the spirit of the school. (We’re) trying to get everyone involved and make homecoming a big thing,” Hysell said. 

Principal LaNisha Paddock said Park has been promoting more in-school activities, to make the week more accessible for all students. 

“What the school has been talking about is how we could make it more equitable for all students to be able to participate,” Paddock said. “What that would look like is having more activities that happen that week and throughout the school day.”

Each day there will be a different dress code for students to partake in. Starting off on Monday, students were invited to participate in “pajama day” Tuesday students got creative for “anything but a backpack day,” Wednesday was “pink out” to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Thursday is “class colors”, meaning each grade has a different color to wear. Ending on Friday, students are asked to come in orange and black to show off their “Park Pride.”

Many events inside and outside of school will also be happening this week for students to attend and participate in. According to student council president Micah Davis, there will be a student vs. staff basketball game on Thursday. 

 “We’re having the students (versus) staff basketball game, which is a lot of fun and gets people excited about homecoming,” said Davis. 

According to Hysell, events such as the movie night required extra preparations. 

“We’re doing the movie on the field on Thursday, it was originally on Monday or Tuesday, but then it was a Jewish holiday so we changed that around,” Hysell said. “We had to get admin approval for everything so we showed them our choices, and we set that up in our Action Wednesday.”

Before the homecoming football game on Oct. 7 at the stadium, Davis said the week’s activities help promote the event and create positive energy towards homecoming. 

“Everything is based around homecoming to just be super positive and spirited,” Davis said. “Having that whole spirit week leading up with dress codes and other fun activities will get people in the right mindset for homecoming.” 

After a busy week, the last event will be the homecoming dance from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8 in the fieldhouse. Tickets are $10 a student and will be available to purchase during lunch as well as at the door to the dance. 

Paddock said she encourages all students to come, whether they are dressed up or not.

“The dance is going to be informal,” Paddock said. “Just come and wear whatever to enjoy yourself and dance.”