Annual tradition includes Friday afternoon parade; tonight’s
football game against N. Salinas
Homecoming is a tradition at nearly every high school, but few
towns embrace the annual autumn event like Hollister does.
All week long, students at San Benito High School have been
celebrating
”
Dress-Up Days,
”
which encourage them to show their school spirit by wearing a
different type of outfit on each of the days leading up to Friday’s
football homecoming game versus North Salinas.
Annual tradition includes Friday afternoon parade; tonight’s football game against N. Salinas
Homecoming is a tradition at nearly every high school, but few towns embrace the annual autumn event like Hollister does.
All week long, students at San Benito High School have been celebrating “Dress-Up Days,” which encourage them to show their school spirit by wearing a different type of outfit on each of the days leading up to Friday’s football homecoming game versus North Salinas.
With the theme “Balers Ready For …” students on Monday wore pajamas; on Tuesday they dressed as super heroes – showing that they are ready to save the world; on Wednesday they wore hippie clothing – showing they are ready for peace; on Thursday they dressed like tourists – ready for vacation; and on Friday they wore their class colors and/or a crazy hat, showing that they are ready for battle in the evening’s game at Andy Hardin Field.
“I think pride is the ultimate reason behind these years of continued tradition,” said Amy Henneman, SBHS’s Rally Club and senior class adviser, and a Baler alumna. “We are lucky to live in a community that supports the high school and participates in our events.”
One of those events is the annual homecoming parade that snakes through downtown along San Benito and Monterey streets after beginning at Baler Alley adjacent to the high school.
This year, more than 40 entries are featured in the parade, which starts at 2 p.m. Friday. That’s up from 38 last year.
“It seems to be growing with each year as the clubs on campus become more spirited and involved,” Henneman said.
Entries range from large-scale floats on flatbed trailers to decorated vehicles to students walking with signs. New parade entries this year include the Ceramics Club and the All For Christ Club.
“All types of entries make the SBHS parade a wonderful thing for our students and community,” Henneman said. “It truly does show off what it means to be a Baler.”
Henneman said she has fond memories of working nights as a student to create a papier mache tea cup for her senior class float.
“Those memories have stayed with me, but beyond that I am able to say that the traditions of homecoming have instilled in me leadership and organizational qualities – as well as Baler pride,” she said.
The school will hold a homecoming rally on Friday morning and will crown its homecoming queen at halftime of the Balers’ varsity game that evening. The homecoming king and queen and the rest of their court will be the featured guests at Saturday’s semi-formal homecoming dance on campus.
