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Members of the Luverne High School Student Council were busy planning a pandemic-style Homecoming celebration when the Minnesota State High School League announced that school can conduct a modified football and volleyball season.
Last week the council organized the selection of Homecoming royalty by the ninth- through 12th-graders before the return of the modified season.
Homecoming Week will take place Oct. 19-23 in both Luverne and Hills-Beaver Creek high schools. H-BC’s Homecoming is still in the planning stages.
The coronavirus pandemic had moved the traditional fall football and volleyball seasons to the spring before being reinstated to fall earlier this month.
“It’s not the same as it always was, but it’s better than nothing,” said LHS senior Bailey Cowell. “We’ll have some different kind of memories.”
Cowell, along with fellow seniors Cade Wenninger, Zach Ahrendt and LaShad Smith, were selected as Homecoming king candidates. Queen candidates include Rylee Gee, Ainslie Robinson, Rozilyn Oye and Lauren Ver Steeg.
Other class royalty include freshmen Tori Serie and Henry Hartquist, sophomores Lauren Hansen and Ross Bergman, and juniors Mia Wenzel and Luke Thorson.
Coronation will be live-streamed Oct. 19.
“We know 98 percent of those watching will be by video,” said student council adviser Jason Berghorst. “Homecoming 2020 will see a lot of changes this year due to the current hybrid learning model and to the adherence to safety protocols for COVID.”
Because one or more of the Homecoming candidates could be under quarantine or absent from their every-other-day in-person classes, student council members proposed recording many of the events that take place during the coronation ceremonies.
The traditional Homecoming pep fest and dance will not happen, but the traditional Friday night Homecoming football game is planned.
However, safety protocols limit football games to 250 spectators.
No spectators are allowed at the volleyball games. However, live-streaming is a possibility.