Excitement levels were high as Portage football players, cheerleaders, students, teachers, and residents gathered Thursday evening for the annual Portage High School homecoming parade. In anticipation for the big game Friday night against Michigan City, everyone attending was in high spirits, gleaming with Portage Pride.
Despite an early forecast that predicted poor weather, the sun was shining. Crowds gathered all along Central Avenue to cheer on the parade participants and celebrate the start of the Portage football season. Children lined the streets with their families to grab hand fulls of candy that were being tossed to them by the smiling students as they proudly marched by in the parade, showing off a wide variety of diverse school groups.
John Kappes, a teacher at Portage High School, was there with his Robotics team students. To bring together robotics and football, his students built a robot football arena that they were hoping to play as they marched in the parade. Although the possibility of rain meant that their electronic football couldn’t be used during the parade, the Robotics team still had plenty of other ways to show school spirit.
“Unfortunately, we had to leave the robots at the school just in case it rained,” Kappes stated. “Instead, we’re proudly displaying our banners. We’re going to march and toss out some t-shirts, vex balls, frisbees, and candy. We have a great group of high achieving kids here and we’re excited to promote robotics education in the homecoming parade today.”
Andrea Riley was there representing Crisman’s Asset Building Club (ABC), marching alongside the group of kids that she leads. The Asset Club kids were all bursting with excitement as they gathered to partake in this joyful event.
“The PTO purchased custom parade shirts for everyone in the Asset Building Club, a club that focuses on making future community leaders,” said Riley. “The club helps kids become more productive within the community. We get kids out participating in various community oriented projects - everything from leaf raking to raising money for the BackPack program and the local food pantry. Having the opportunity to march in the parade allows our kids in the Asset Club to see all the people in the community and makes them feel so important!”
Each of the school groups participating in the parade displayed their own unique way of showing school pride while making the homecoming parade a memorable and fun experience. Alyson Ponda, student at Portage High School, was playing the role of “granny” in the Little Red Riding Hood themed float that was coordinated by the the Portage High Thespians.
“The Portage High Thespians don’t do what you would normally call high school theatre,” Ponda explained. “We take acting to a whole different level. We do amazing shows. It means the world to me to be part of this parade and representing the thespian club. I love being part of this club because we all get to grow together as a family do what we love to do together in one big unit. We’re here today showing off the thespian Portage Pride!”
Although each float was coordinated by a different club or group, everyone came together to show off their school spirit. The Homecoming Parade was the perfect atmosphere to start to an exciting football season and school year for Portage High School.