Morehead High School gears up for homecoming

By Miranda Baines

Published: October 13, 2008

Spirits are soaring this week at Morehead High School. It’s homecoming week, and the Panthers are getting excited about Friday night’s game.

“This is one of our best weeks of the year. It’s a special week,“ said Morehead High School Principal Betty Harrington. “We’re really excited.“

Morehead students are gearing up for the homecoming assembly this morning, when they will vote on the homecoming court. Max Kirks, student council advisor, said student participation in spirit week has been great so far.

“Interest has been very high,“ he said. “Some of the kids got together Saturday night and made the decorations for homecoming.“

Council members will stay after school Thursday to decorate the hallways with balloons and streamers to get the students excited about homecoming on Friday. Last week, Kirks said the school started its “spirit chain” collection. The council sells links for the spirit chain, donates the money to the YMCA’s empty stocking fund, and uses the spirit chain to decorate the football field.

Tradition plays a major role in the spirit week activities.

“A lot of the people that graduated from Morehead still live in Eden and they like to see the traditions keep going,“ said Kirks, a Morehead alumnus of the 1970s. He said the school had its first powder puff football game in the 1970s and the homecoming parade has been going on as long as he can remember.

This year’s homecoming parade is set for 4 p.m. Friday on Washington Street.

“How many towns do you know that close down Main Street (for a high-school homecoming parade?)“ Kirks asked.

“I have great memories of marching in that parade,“ said Ella McBride-Chatham, owner of Riverhouse Gift & Gourmet on Washington Street. “We got a big thrill marching through downtown.“

A Morehead alumna, McBride-Chatham was a majorette, while her husband Steve Chatham was in the marching band.

“It used to be such a big deal to us because each class had to do a float,“ said McBride-Chatham.

Every class still has a float in the homecoming parade. That way, Kirks said, even students that don’t participate in school clubs and aren’t part of the homecoming court can be part of the parade.

McBride-Chatham said she hopes the downtown streets are “filled with parents and supporters of Morehead” for Friday’s parade. Kirks said the support from the community and school administration and faculty makes homecoming a success every year. The teachers take part in homecoming activities through the “secret teachers” project. Each teacher anonymously gives a gift to a varsity football player during homecoming week.

Kirks expects a good turnout for Wednesday night’s powder puff game.

“Usually 700 to 800 people show up,“ he said.

This year, 29 junior and senior guys have signed up to cheerlead at the powder puff game, while the junior and senior girls have been practicing hard for the football game, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday. The powder puff queen and princesses will be crowned at halftime.

Win or lose, the Panthers will have their school’s support during Friday night’s homecoming game. The Panthers will take on Northeast Guilford at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The Panthers have yet to win a game this season.

“We’re still proud of them,“ said Kirks.

• Staff writer Miranda Baines can be reached at or 349-4331, ext. 35.