Every fall, schools across the country gear up for a week of activities to celebrate homecoming. Almost every school has specific traditions that are unique to its history and student body, but each one shares a common goal of boosting school spirit in a festive way. At Hempfield High School, the new generation of students is drawing inspiration from the past to celebrate the present.

For the first time in more than 20 years, the Hempfield Homecoming Parade will be held on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 10 a.m. The parade will begin on Stanley Avenue in Landisville in front of the high school, and it will loop around the adjacent neighborhood along Baker Street and East Elizabeth Street before concluding in the parking lot of the school quad. The procession will include Hempfield High School's marching band, homecoming court and sports teams, as well as local first responders and emergency vehicles. Spectators are invited to set up chairs and blankets along the parade route prior to 9:30 a.m. Various food trucks will be stationed in the quad parking lot to offer refreshments once the parade concludes.

The tradition of the homecoming parade was resurrected by members of Hempfield High School's Student Council, who first began discussing the idea before the end of the last school year. The students discovered pictures of the parade from when it was held in the '80s, and although the school's marching band has held a similar event in recent years, they wanted to bring back the former parade in all its glory. "We saw old pictures from the parade and thought, 'Hey, that's actually a really cool idea,'" said senior Avery Landis, president of Student Council at Hempfield High School. "I think the student body is really interested to see what it's going to be like."

The resurrection of the parade isn't the only way Hempfield High School will celebrate homecoming. On Thursday, Oct. 5, the annual Fall Fling will be held during the school day. The event serves as a pep rally for students, and various school clubs will offer activities. After school is dismissed, student council will host a cookout for students to attend as they wait for the start of the powderpuff game in the evening. Junior and senior girls will face off at 5 p.m. at Georgelis Law Firm Stadium, and the homecoming king will be crowned at halftime. On Friday, Oct. 6, the homecoming queen ceremony will take place at halftime during the Black Knights' football game, which will begin at 7 p.m. The girls selected to the homecoming court are Liliana Smith, Kylie Smith, Avery Landis, Faith Siegrist and Caroline Herr. The court also includes Hunchin Rana, Stephen Pitts, Deyvid Palepale, Kena Bekere and Seth Wiggins.

"I'm just excited to see everything our students are putting together for each other," said Hempfield High School principal Bill Brossman. "They are owning their high school experience, and as educators that's what we want them to be about. We're very proud of them and we're happy to support them in their accomplishments."