Homecoming royalty to be crowned Friday
The 2023 homecoming parade is set to roll through downtown on Friday featuring Albany High School and ex-student royalty, followed by presentation of the homecoming court and crowning of the Homecoming King and Queen during the halftime ofAlbany vs. Roscoe homecoming game with a 7:00 p.m. kick-off.
TheComingHomeKingandQueenwill also be recognized during the half. The honor class this year is the class of 1973, which is celebrating its 50th class reunion.
The festivities will begin with the dedication ofthreerecentlyerectedmonuments in front of Robert Nail Memorial Stadium at 4:15 p.m.
The three granite slabs feature the state-winning football teams of 1960, 1961, and 2022. Coach Denney Faith and AISD superintendent Jonathan Scott will make brief remarks, and members of each team are invited to pose for pictures with the new markers.
Homecoming Parade
The annual homecoming parade is scheduled to start at 5:00 p.m. from the staging area in front of the stadium, then wind its way through the downtown area around the courthouse and return through downtown to end back at the stadium.
Most of the homecoming royalty will ride in the parade, with the exception of varsity football players.
The parade will be led by the AJSH cheerleaders, followed by organizational sweethearts and class prince and princesses.
The four senior nominees from the four high school classes for homecoming queen will be presented in vintage or luxury automobiles, followed bytheComingHome King and Queen and with alumni floats.
The parade will also feature the junior high classfloatandthefourhigh school class floats.
Thethemeforthehomecoming parade this year features holidays.
The seniors selected New Year’s Eve, with the junior class picking Halloween. The sophomores will portray 4th of July, and the freshman will be decorating for Christmas.
The seventh and eighth grade classes are combining efforts for one float with a Valentine’s Day theme.
The Ragin’ Red Band will not march in the parade this year since they will be traveling to Amarillo early on Saturday for the area marching contest.
However, band members can ride on a band float or their individual class floats.
Organizational sweethearts and beaus will also ride in the parade.
Other entries in the parade include the Lions Club Sweetheart, the Class of 1973, and the Class of 1993.
Halftime Royalty
Homecoming royalty will be presented at halftime with the crowning of the Homecoming King and Queen.
Students in grades 9-12 elected a pair of seniors as nominees for Homecoming King and Queen.
Named by the senior class were Robyn Trail and Adam Hill; juniors selected Kiana Roberson and Tyler Chapman; the sophomores nominated Haylee Sadler and Zane Waggoner; while thefreshmenpickedCallan Edgar and Lute Wheeler.
Whileallkingandqueen nominees are seniors, the winners were voted on by the entire student body.
Princes and princesses were also chosen for each of the other high school classes.
A class prince and princess for the freshman through junior classes will also be presented.
AveryEverittandLaithe Leech were selected to represent the junior class, while Caroline Chapman and Calhan Fairchild were named by the sophomores, andTatumGradyandConnor Smith were named by the freshman class.
Other halftime royalty will include the Football Sweetheart and Escort, Madi Parrott and Chip Chambers, along with Band Sweetheart and Beau Ashley Sanchez and Gunner Graham. The FFA sweetheart and beau are Emily Schedule and Donald McCullough, while the FCCLA picked Mimi Ivy and Slade Windham.
TheComingHomeKing and Queen from the honor class of 1973 – Patti Swank and Randy Deal – will also be presented.
TheAlbanyEx-Students Association has opted to recognize the Coming HomeKingandQueenona yearlybasissincetheschool nowholdsthehomecoming parade yearly.
However, the ex-students meeting and brunch will still be held biennially during years ending with an even number.
Alumni can pay their duesof$15fortwoyears by mailing a check to Albany Ex-Students Association, PO Box 2633, Albany TX 76430.
Ex-students president BufordSaltershassentout aninformationletterabout homecomingactivities,and information about homecoming can also be found on theAlbany Ex-Students Facebook page.
For more information, contact Salters at bufordsalters@ gmail.com or call 325-762-6225.
Chili Supper
Immediately following theparadeonFriday,members of the First Baptist Church will host their traditional chili supper in the church’s fellowship hall.
Chili and beans and all the fixings will be served until 7:00 p.m.
The church uses the donations to help fund children’s programs and summer camps.
