Author Spotlight
Luke Beil
Homestead Country Club is hosting its fourth annual Lancer Pickleball Spring Smash on April 27.
The proceeds from the event will benefit the SME All Sports Booster Club which has planned the event for the past four years.
Students — entered in either the doubles or singles bracket — are required to pay a $50 entry fee. This fee will also cover the cost of two T-shirts designed for the event.
However, adults competing in the event must pay a $200 entry fee per team for the T-shirts as well as two drink tickets for each player.
Senior Gregor Wiedeman has competed in the tournament the past two years and is hoping to be the champion this year, having made it to the finals both times with his partner George Kahl.
“There’s not too much of a difference between the best and the worst in terms of the players,” Wiedman said. “So you know it’s going to be competitive no matter who you’re playing.”
According to Wiedeman, players start by playing in pool play with four other teams facing each one of them. Then based on how many times teams win and how many points they score, the remaining competitors are seeded into a knockout tournament of four rounds.
The event will begin at 9 a.m. and the winning team will win a $100 coupon to Chicken N’ Pickle.
StuCo is using leftover district allocated funds to host a school-wide tailgate on May 2 during the girls soccer senior night game against SM South at Westridge Middle School.
In order to get a big turnout for the game, StuCo plans to use these funds to rent a Kona Ice truck to come and serve shaved ice to students 30 minutes before girls soccer kicks off.
According to senior class president Ryder Hendon, the plan is to have as many students as possible show up for the big game earlier than usual to tailgate with fellow peers and draw a big crowd for the girls.
“The idea originated as a senior cookout,” Hendon said. “But we wanted to think of a way that we could [plan it] somewhere where people would already be, so the idea of the South game was perfect.”
In the past tailgates like this have proven to be successful as last year at the soccer game the first 100 students got free ice cream sandwiches provided by StuCo which intrigued hundreds of kids to come to the game.
“We think by having the truck and it being senior night it will help to bring in a lot more students and fans,” Hendon said. “It’s also towards the end of the year so it’s just a fun thing to do as we finish up the semester.”
The annual senior sunrise event is happening on April 26 at 6:00 a.m.
Senior sunrise is an annual event planned by seniors on the Student Council as a way to bring the class together one last time before graduation.
The event will be held on the football field and last for about an hour and a half before school starts at 7:40 a.m.
StuCo special events committee chair and senior Abi Limbird is currently planning the event and is taking inspiration from last year.
“By looking at the record of how many people signed up last year and how much food was catered it’s really helped us to plan ahead,” Limbird said.
The event is open to all seniors free-of-charge and Chick-Fil-A will be provided for attendees. Students are encouraged to wear clothing representing their college or future plans and bring their own blankets to sit on.
“It’s one of those traditions that puts into perspective how soon our high school career will be over,” Limbird said. “I believe that the communal understanding that we don’t have that much of high school left helps everyone become closer.”
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