Student spotlight
This year Highland Middle School’s 8th grade football team saw the addition of a female player, Breanna Graves. Graves plays offensive tackle and defense for the team.
Growing up, Graves often watched her parents play football in her backyard, which ultimately led to her playing. She would join her parents in a fun game and eventually fell in love with the sport. Playing football makes her happy, and she enjoys the atmosphere of games.
Graves’ dad played when he was younger and this encouraged her to play just like him. Her parents worry about her getting injured during a game, but they are supportive of her and her desire to participate in a sport she loves.
The coach of the team is Mr. Leroy Childress. He coached a female player in Michigan in 1999. He indicated that he doesn’t treat her differently because she is a girl. He is mindful though in making sure she isn’t put in harm's way during games and practices. He is still fair with the coaching and maintains that everyone on the team has to earn the spots they play in the game.
Graves also appreciates how the boys on the team don’t treat her any differently. They are kind and she knows that while they are practicing they wouldn’t hurt her intentionally.
School Spirit
This years Homecoming Parade features a change to how Highland has done parades in the past. To start off the Homecoming game there will be a community wide pep rally that aims to bring the community together to support the school. The rally will include the Homecoming Parade which begins at 5:30 and will be around the track on the football field.
During the Parade, people will be able to see the play houses that the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior classes have made. The houses go along with the theme, “There’s no place like Homecoming” inspired by the Wizard of Oz. Afterward the houses will be sold at a silent auction. The money raised from the auction will be donated to Riley Children’s Hospital. They will be set up outside of the football field for everyone to see.
As for the clubs at Highland, they are making spirit banners. During the pep rally the community will be able to vote on which play house and banner is their favorite. The Student Council wants to honor all of the activities that are going on at Highland and has opted to invite clubs and athletes to walk in the parade as well. They want to fill the stands with friends and family for the big game that night. The decision was made at the end of last year to switch things up and Student Council is hoping this will be a positive change for the school.
New Tailgate Date
Highland’s 25th annual Tailgate Party was originally scheduled for August 24th, but due to the rainy weather the party was rescheduled. The new date for the party is October 5th from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The entry fee will still be $1 per person for the party.
Food available will be Langel’s Pizza, wings, potato pierogis, and Mac n’ Cheese. All food vendors will charge $4 for food and $1 for a drink.
The National Guard will be on site with endurance challenges to test your skills. This is just one of the many fun vendors that will be there. The baseball field lights will be on, since the sun will be setting earlier.
The football team will be facing Kankakee Valley High School that evening. The football team has three home games this season: the first was supposed to be the original Tailgate party, second is the Homecoming game, and the third is the new date for Tailgate and also Senior night. Senior Night is when the soon to be graduates are honored and given gifts to celebrate. This season there are twenty-four seniors on the team including two senior managers. The seniors will be receiving their gifts before the game when their names are announced. Football alumni will also be brought back to honor this year being the 61st season of Trojan Football. This home game will bring a unique atmosphere to the last one of the season.
Student Council Sponsor
Mrs. Brenda Richardson has been teaching in the Highland School system since the year 1990. She began teaching after graduation from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. She hasn’t been a full time teacher anywhere else, but she has served as a substitute for other schools in the past.
The subjects she teaches are Child Development and Interpersonal Relations (IPR), and she is the Student Council Sponsor. Richardson has only been the sponsor for the last two years, but has helped in making changes to better the club. She wanted to help the students make choices about changing the way things are done. Also, she wanted to help with upholding traditions she has seen throughout the years. Richardson has been able to help the current student council members change the way they run their major event: Homecoming.
This year's Homecoming parade is being changed in several different ways. Richardson is excited to see how this year’s parade goes, and hopes to continue on with this as a new tradition. She likes that she is able to help students who she may not have in class, get to know them, and work with them to help build the council. Richardson also has children of her own that are still in the Highland school system, and she wants them, as well as everyone else, to enjoy the traditions throughout the years.