Plains shows school spirit for homecoming

The students at Plains School spent last week showing their school spirit and getting revved-up for its homecoming showdown against Arlee.

The school had a myriad of activities throughout the week to get them excited and pumped, starting with "Spirit Days" last Monday, when they dressed up in Hispanic apparel, and finishing with the crowning event of naming the king and queen.

"The big sombreros were pretty funny, and they had colorful ponchos," said Luanna Revier, who works in the front office on a part time basis as a substitute. Each day, the students dressed up in a different theme. Tuesday was Disney Day. Revier said there was a beautiful Minnie Mouse on Disney Day. Wednesday was Barbie and Ken Day and Thursday was Era Day, where freshmen donned Stone Age dress, sophomores were Ancient Greece, juniors Egyptians, and seniors dressed in Medieval times. On Friday, the kids wore school colors orange and black.

Several teachers took part in Spirit Days, including art teachers Kristen Cole and her daughter, Tana Klammer, who divides her time as a counselor and math teacher. They dressed in colorful outfits and painted their faces akin to the Mexican holiday "Day of the Dead." Cole dressed as a regular Barbie while Klammer was an athletic Barbie. On Thursday, Cole went with the seniors and was a Medieval peasant.

It was two of Cole's art classes that constructed the Arlee Warrior football mannequin for Wednesday night's bonfire in the school student parking lot. Cole said it took her 11 students more than one and a half hours to create the near six-foot mannequin. Her students also painted the small trailer that held the paper mache mannequin and piles of wood pallets.

Dr. Kathleen Walsh, the school's new superintendent this year, had the honor of lighting the bonfire. The native New Yorker said it was her first bonfire and was honored to be selected to light it. Within a minute, however, more than 100 torches by staff and students were tossed or placed into the wood pile with the Arlee figure standing on top. The mannequin was soon engulfed in flames to the huge cheers of the estimated 300 people in attendance. "The pep rally and bonfire were great experiences," said Walsh, who has more than 30 years in the educational field. It wasn't her first pep rally, but her first school bonfire.

The pep rally included the introduction of the fall junior high and high school sports team members and their coaches, including: Denise Montgomery for the junior high volleyball, Max Bebb, junior high football, Charity Jermyn and Gena Ferlan, junior high cross country, Jesse Jermyn, high school cross country, Jessica Butcher, high school volleyball, and Mike Tatum, high school football. Loren Lauridson, the school's new music teacher, led the pep band. He also accompanied the school DrumLine in the sports parade shortly before the pep rally. The Horse Plains Volunteer Fire Department and the Plains Paradise Rural Fire District carried the football, volleyball, cross country teams and the DrumLine musicians through town. The Plains Booster Club also provided free food at the rally, which ended by 9 p.m., said teacher Ken Nelson, who has coordinated homecoming week for several years and said the idea for homecoming was to promote school spirit and promote school pride.

Nelson said the pep rally and bonfire was a great event this year. "The school has a great positive atmosphere this year and the energy at the rally last night was evidence of that," said Nelson. Walsh was pleased to see the school staff and administrators come together to structure a fun school and community based event.

"Our fire department and police officers were present to be sure the students enjoyed themselves in a safe environment, and our band performed to add to the atmosphere," said Walsh. "Most importantly our students had fun and took pride in a great Plains Public School tradition," she added.

In addition, the students of Art 1 created homecoming posters. Students from the 2-D art class selected Ireland Corbin and Kaylee Warta with their "Horseman vs. Warrior" for the first place winner. The second place poster of Jaycee Carr, Madi Pfister and Marina Tulloch won with their Shrek volleyball poster. Art students RuBea Privett and Victory Swanson painted the lobby windows.

On Friday, the students from seventh grade to seniors surrounded the school to create floats, which they paraded through town at noon. The float theme was "Fear the Stampede" and each came up with an orange and black rendition of the Horsemen defeating the Warriors. The juniors had a giant wooden horseshoe and wooden horse silhouette. The seventh grade set up a boxing ring with Bryan Lakko bopping classmate Talon Ferlan playing the Warrior. Eight-grader Lyla MacDonald offered her face painting talents to her classmates. Riley Geenen went with number seven on his face for his favorite Horseman player. The freshmen also went with a boxing scenario with Greg Tatum donning an equine head beating a Warrior. Sophomore Arrow Hyde also wore a horse head, one of four. Senior Drew Carey wore the Horseman mascot costume, and he trotted down Railroad Street in good company - leading the parade with fellow seniors John Thurston and Jaelyn Carr on Carr's real horses "Clancy" and "Banjo," possibly the first time actual horses were part of a Horsemen homecoming parade. There was also a "mystery " horse on the teachers and staff float.

There were seven floats in the parade. The school's DrumLine participated again, as did the Plains police, Horse Plains Volunteer Fire Department, and the Plains Paradise Rural Fire District again.

This year's student royalty was transported to the football field during halftime Friday night. Freshman Greg Tatum collected the most votes with 43 for king. Junior Izzie Bakker got 31 votes for queen. Senior Marissa Young came close with three votes behind, followed by freshman Aubree Butcher with 26, and Katelyn Subatch with 5 votes. Candidates for king included senior Devon Barnes with 21 votes, sophomore Kylan Bostick with 18 votes, and junior Django Oakcedar with 8 votes.

"I enjoy everything about homecoming, especially seeing the students, staff, caregivers, and community as they celebrate Plains Schools," said Principal Ryon Noland.