By Sophia Thoen

AHS Student Council President

It seems that everyone at the high school is anxious for the late, but fast-approaching homecoming week. Students are getting dresses, class color attire, and creatively asking each other to the homecoming dance. Some students are preparing in other ways, like planning Battle of Connect activities or ordering flowers for the homecoming court of 2014. With all the excitement and preparations for the festivities of homecoming week within the high school, it is important to remember that homecoming week is a time to unite the community of Austin with Packer Pride.

If you consider the word homecoming, it insinuates that someone or something is coming home. Andrea Malo, an assistant principal at Austin High School finds this very fitting, as she sees homecoming week as a time to “come home and celebrate.” It is clear that this is true; homecoming week is a time of celebration throughout all of Austin.

The high school is obviously very involved, but it is not just the students who take part in festivities. All the staff and administration at the high school take part and help; some even dress up or wear their pajamas. Then during Battle of Connects, several volunteers of all ages come and help with this exhilarating and fierce battle between classes. Other schools in the district take part, too.

As Paiton Schwab, a freshman at AHS, states, “The high school got all the other schools in the community involved in homecoming.”

Ellis sells homecoming shirts and has themes throughout the week to get students’ Packer pride flowing.

Austin’s love for its Packers culminates on Friday with the parade and homecoming football game. People of all ages in layers of a wide variety of Packer apparel come out to get candy at the parade and later to support the Packers at the game. Whether you are a present Packer, an alumni Packer, or a self-proclaimed Packer, being a Packer represents the perseverance and drive of an athlete, a student, or a parent which makes Austin the home of the Packers. Austin is a community of hard-working people who give back to where there home was or still is.

One of the biggest impacts of Austin’s homecoming week, aside from bringing all Packers together, is improving our home. The student council at the high school puts on a food drive for the Backpack Program, which provides food for children in Austin schools for the weekend. All are welcome to participate in the food drive, which will run Sept. 29 through Oct. 6. Cash donations will also be accepted; donations are actually able to provide more food than bringing items. This gives Austin another opportunity to get involved and give back to the community.

No matter where you live now or when you went to school, if you have lived in Austin, you are a Packer. All Packers are necessary to create the environment of excitement and provide the spirit to “come home and celebrate” the community of Austin. When homecoming week finally rolls around, bring out your inner Packer, give back and help support all AHS sports and activities to “Tame the Winhawks.”

Thank you, Austin, for giving the Austin Packers such a nurturing and wonderful place to call home.