Class of 2002 homecoming court (left to right): Skye Jones, Candace Harper, Courtney Bowles, Santana Shelton, Sharon Largen.

Homecoming this week

By Michael Butler

Homecoming week at Tallassee High School is here. Last year, the event date was moved to the final week of the THS football team's regular season due to the coronavirus. This year, weeklong festivities have also been moved for different reasons.

There have been a couple of alterations with scheduling since the original date was set last year. The most recent change came due to the cancellation of Tallassee's football game with Pike Road.

Regardless of the shift in dates, some of the 2002 alums reunited back in September.

"We have had to change and rearrange plans four times due to the date change," said THS Class of 2002 alum Megan Hamilton Smith, who is one of the organizers for the reunion. "It was not an easy decision, but we decided this last date change to keep our reunion."

This year's homecoming court (left to right): Areonna Green, Alex Coker, Nicole Patterson, Amy Laurel Pierce, Chloe Baynes, Belle Haynes. Photo by Suzannah Solomon Wilson.

The Class of 2002 is still continuing most of the other homecoming festivities this week.

Senior Ring Ceremony for the Class of '02

"Splitting the dates allowed some the opportunity to come to one that could not come to the other," Smith said. "There has been some frustration and disappointments, but we are all happy to have what we can to spend time together and catch up."

The school system has made some additional changes over the past few weeks. The pep rally put on by the returning class was going to be held at the football stadium, but since Covid numbers have declined the event will return to indoors at Stumberg Gymnasium on Friday at 8 a.m.

Also, since the high school campus is now a construction site with work on the new THS in progress, the candlelight ceremony and bonfire have been moved to the grounds at City Hall - Thursday at 7 p.m.

Other activities including the parade at 2 p.m. and the crowning of the homecoming queen at 6:30 p.m. remain unchanged for Friday. Tallassee plays Carroll of Ozark at 7 p.m.

"It's finally our turn," said Smith. "20 years doesn’t seem right. Most of us have not seen each other since we graduated. Planning the reunion and reaching out to old classmates has definitely taken us all back. We are all happy to spend time together and catch up."