Bustin’ through the 80s
LISA HOBBS – News Editor
Warren County Way was invited to a behind-the-scenes look at the Warren County High School seniors’ float for Friday’s Homecoming Parade. It was gnarly and radically decked out with Rubik’s Cubes, slap bracelets and cassette players with tapes.
“It’s the 80s,” exclaimed Danielle Smith, senior float sponsor. “We’ve been playing 80s music, and the kids have learned what a cassette player is. We’ve been having a lot of fun.”
For this year, classes were allowed to pick a decade for an overall theme of “Pioneers through the Decades.” Each class had to select a different one. It is unknown which decade freshmen, sophomores and juniors chose.
Among the students helping bring the float to fruition on Tuesday night was royalty, that being pomp queen Karelix Flores. She has created over 50 bags of pomp, which is a lot of single tissue squares, and that netted her the crown.
“I think my favorite part has been coming out here and working, because we are all working together. We are all helping each other, and it has been fun,” said Flores. She has helped with the float creation every year. “I really liked helping with all of the floats. I liked Mario, but I really liked Pirates of the Caribbean. It was a good one.”
Kody Wood says he’s enjoyed building the float’s structure, while others decorate it. There is an actual Oldsmobile Cutlass incorporated in the design.
Time is of the essence. When asked if he thought the float would be ready to roll down Main Street on Friday, Wood replied, “I think we will.” He says the hardest part for him was working with chicken wire and being constantly stuck by it.
“It has been very interest to see it all come together,” stated Emma Flanagan. “We did a picture of what we were going to build, an overlay. We’ve been working to make it look like the picture.”
While other students were enjoying their Fall Break, Flanagan was diligently working on the float. She worked 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. that week.
Seniors are stashed away in a Morrison location, because floats are constructed in secret. Anthony Gauger says it hasn’t been difficult to keep everything concealed. Seniors won last year’s float competition. When asked if he thought seniors would walk away with this year’s win, Gauger added, “We definitely want to do our best this year and bring our A game. I think we’ve got a pretty good shot to win this year. I think all the floats will be really good, and it will be a tight race, but I think we have a good chance of winning.”
To ride in the parade with the float, seniors must donate at least 20 working hours. Smith says over 80 students have worked on the float.
“There’s a little change to the competition this year,” said Smith. “We felt like this shouldn’t just be about the floats. The community should benefit in some form or fashion. There is a People’s Choice. It’s $1 per vote. Each class has chosen an organization to support and donate that money towards. Three of the classes chose the United Athletes at the high school. They have a sporting event coming up this weekend, a Cornhole Tournament.”
The public can vote on their favorite float during the Pioneer Pep Rally at 2:30 p.m. on The Lot in court square or during the football game.
Smith added, “Freshman, I believe, chose the McMinnville Children’s Museum.”
MCM is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a positive and nurturing environment to promote the education and development for the children of Warren County and surrounding communities. Since May of 2024, a team of likeminded individuals have been working to build the museum from the ground up. The goal is to build a state-of-the-art STEAM discovery center.
The Homecoming Parade will line up on W. Colville Street by 1:30 p.m. and the parade begins at 2 p.m. It will turn onto W. Main Street in front of Tire Mart and proceed down Main Street. The Pioneer Pep Rally is at 2:30 p.m. on the Lot. Let’s celebrate Pioneer Pride this Friday. Vote for your favorite float to be named People’s Choice and support a good cause.
Pictured, front row, from left, are seniors Katie Bechtel, Alexia Ross, Addison Crabtree, Emma Flanagan, Karelix Flores, Tayden Stafford and Brantley Waldron. Back row, Eli Davis, Kody Wood, Anthony Gauger and Ethan Sanders. Not pictured is Hailey York.