Autumn of 2021 breezed into the Northern Hemisphere on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 22. Homecoming celebrations are initiating across many American colleges and high schools. Park High School (PHS) in Cottage Grove will have theirs from Monday, Sept. 27 through Saturday, Oct. 2. During that week, the school will offer festivities for students and/or community members. A carnival, parade, dance and two football games are among those opportunities. Park Homecoming 2021: Minnesota Staycation will be all that Cottage Grove ever wanted.

The PHS Student Council selects a new theme for their homecoming every fall. “Minnesota Staycation” is the concept that they decided on for this year. Initially, the council considered adhering to a “vacation” theme. This was prior to recognizing that traveling is a privilege that is not available to all. Mark Anderson is an instructor and the student council advisor at PHS. He drew, “…in discussing, especially a theme with equity, we wanted to make sure that all students felt involved…not all students have the means to vacation or have had the ability to vacation.”

Declaring “Minnesota Staycation” the inspiration of PHS Homecoming 2021 would commemorate one effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic. “Plus, the conversation about the past 18 months…where no one could really travel…” Anderson pointed out. “We did a lot of staycations.”

Minnesotan pride will be embedded into at least two arrangements of PHS Homecoming 2021. To begin with, it will be incorporated into the spirit week. A spirit week is a period in which students and educators dress for each school day in a common fashion. The PHS Student Council is prompting their establishment to wear flannel on “Up North Day” (Wednesday, Sept. 29) and local college merchandise on “College Visit” day (Thursday, Sept. 30).

The annual PHS Homecoming Dance will serve as a “Minnesota Staycation” for PHS pupils. “The dance is going to be a firefly-fielddance kind of theme,” illustrated Anderson, “…like an outdoor-Minnesota-summer kind of vibe…”

“Plenty of space” is enabling PHS to host the function amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic, Anderson indicated. The school’s Activity Center consists of four courts. Each section has a capacity of roughly 200 people. As more students register online for the PHS Homecoming 2021 Dance, more of the Activity Center will be opened up. Attendees will be required to wear facial masks.

The PHS Homecoming 2021 Spirit Week and Dance are designed for high school students alone. The coronation, carnival, and PEP Fest are also being planned in this way. They will occur during school hours throughout the week of Sept. 27.

Community members are invited to join in on some of the PHS Homecoming 2021 fun. First of all, they may view the Power Puff competition. On Monday, Sept. 27, teams of PHS female pupils will play football from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Wolfpack Stadium. Anybody can watch the game and they will not be charged an entry fee.

Two days succeeding the girl-empowering night, on Wednesday Sept. 29, a talent show will take place. Anderson previewed the types of student-driven bits that may be showcased: “The talent show mostly ends up being a lot of singing acts, but every year, there’s always those unique ones where someone does poems…I think one year somebody…read an essay. It was really powerful.”

The PHS Homecoming 2021 Talent Show will launch inside of the PHS Auditorium at 7 p.m. The community is asked to take a seat as well as precautions at the event. Anderson reasoned that because it will be an indoor gathering, facial masks are “strongly encouraged.”

Locals are welcome to interact with the 2021 PHS Homecoming Parade. Anderson labelled it as one of celebration’s “main community events.” “You know, we want participants from the community in the parade. We want the community to watch the parade,” he expressed.

At 5:15 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 1, floats and walkers will begin their route at Ivystone Ave. S. and 80th St. S. They will travel down 80th St. S., distributing sealed candy and flyers. The parade will proceed until reaching the parking lot of PHS.

Immediately succeeding that, Park Football will play against Burnsville inside of Wolfpack Stadium. The game will begin at 7 p.m. The public is welcome to purchase tickets online at sowashco. hometownticketing.com/embed/ event/26?es=qka6n7nioah5jjkdt2j55d9ll4& single=0 or at the gate. Per each student, tickets are $4. Tickets are $6 for every adult.

Upon coming to know all of the aspects of PHS Homecoming 2021: Minnesota Staycation, readers may wonder why celebrations of the sort exist. Every autumn, across the United States of America, colleges and high schools throw homecoming activities to re-embrace their alumni. “The origin of homecoming is a chance for those…who’ve graduated to return home to their high school and just stay connected to it slightly,” Anderson summarized.

At PHS, homecoming exceeds the purpose of honoring alumni. It is designed to let current students to establish relationships away from the classroom. “It’s also just a way to do something at school that is not just…sheer education,” clarified Anderson. “It’s a way to build community in school. It’s a way to connect with your peers in ways that you would never think.”

If readers have questions pertaining to PHS Homecoming 2021: Minnesota Staycation, they can direct them to @parkhighschool-2021hoco on Instagram.