My Alma Mater

Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

Today's writing comes from a college english class I took in 1998 at Bethel College. We were asked to write about a memorable moment in our life, an event that took place and I choose to write about football homecoming of my senior year in high school.

Homecoming for McKenzie High School is a special time of year. I remember my senior year, when football Homecoming week was a great time for everyone. The trees started to change to autumn colors and the weather began to cool off. You could hear the whistle of the referee for the football game to begin.

Homecoming week started with dress up days. There was hippie day, twin day, and hillbilly day. Students participated in order to collect points for their class. Friday was red and gray day, the school colors. Classes were let out at 9 o'clock on Friday for the talent show. Friends of mine in the senior class did a dance; we won third place. After the talent show we had box lunches outside and decorated vehicles for the parade. The parade would go around town and ended at the high school where we had a pep rally outside.

Homecoming has other traditions that are followed. The dress up days gave me a sense of being part of a group by collecting points for your class to win. The students would wear their dress up clothes all day, which made the activity fun. The halls were noisy with students talking about who was going to win that day's event.

My girlfriends and I made up a dance for the talent show. We worked on the moves for a couple of weeks every night. Our outfits were blue jean shorts and baseball jerseys. The dance was a blast and it brought a sense of togetherness for each of us.

Box lunches always seemed to be like a picnic. We took our lunches outside to eat them. Hamburgers, french fries, and all the trimmings topped off with a delicious peanut butter cookie. Students ate everywhere outside the school, the parking lot, cars, and the grassy area just behind Rebel field.

The cars being put in the parade parked in the grassy area behind Rebel field. Participants decorated with balloons, streamers, and shoe polish on windows. The art club always had the prettiest vehicle. The Homecoming court rode in a convertible in the front of the parade. The next vehicles were full of anxious, rowdy, young football players. They were fired up and ready to beat their opponents in a few short hours. The parade started at school and went around in front of the elementary and junior high schools where children with Rebel spirit clapped and waved with enthusiasm. They were looking forward to one day getting to do the same parade. After that the parade proceeded to downtown McKenzie where the local merchants came out to show their Rebel support. Next the parade headed back to the high school where everyone went for the home side bleachers of Rebel field.

The pep rally was so much fun because it was the only one all year held outside. The cheerleaders would lead the crowd in chants and cheers to get the whole school fired up to support the football team. After the pep rally school was dismissed and local florists would set up in the lobby for students to pick up their mums, for the girls to wear to the game and dance.

Pre-game activities started at 6 o'clock that evening. The crowing of Homecoming Queen was the pre-game highlight. I was so excited when my best friend, Heather Oakley, was crowned Homecoming Queen! The cheerleaders gave the Homecoming court their roses. Then the MHS Marching Band, cheerleaders, and Rebel fans would make a tunnel for the football team to run onto the field and the game started.

I cannot really remember who we played that senior year night but I do remember that we won; because those football players were very victorious. They rallied on the field for at least twenty to thirty minutes. The night was capped off with a dance. Many of the students had a memorable day and evening.

My alma mater means a great deal to me. I am proud of where I stomped my feet during high school. Homecoming has always been one of my highlight events. Being Student Council President I was very involved with the planning of the day's events. Being able to see everything go as planned put a big satisfying smile on my face.

"On McKenzie's northern border reared against the sky, proudly stand our alma mater as the years go by." I will always be proud of where I came from - McKenzie High School.