First H&H Homecoming week is now underway

With the kickoff of H&H Bearcats football this fall, Hampton’s annual Homecoming celebration has a whole new look this week. And for the first time, the Hawks will crown a Homecoming king and queen.
Hampton Supt. Carson Klute explained at the recent Community Conversations with Coffee forum that the two schools that make up the H&H sports cooperative – Hampton and Heartland Community at Henderson – will combine their Homecoming celebrations, while maintaining some of their own unique traditions and starting new ones. 
Homecoming week began Sunday night with a bonfire at Bradshaw at 6:30 p.m., as a nod to the school consolidation between Bradshaw and Henderson to form Heartland Community Schools in 1998. 
Hampton High School Principal Jereme Jones said there are special dress up days for students in grades 7-12 all this week, culminating with a dress up day for all students on Friday as they display their H&H Bearcats colors and gear. 
He said on Friday all students in grades 7-12 will be transported by bus to Henderson for the combined Homecoming Parade at 2 p.m. A pep rally will be held after the parade. 
In the Homecoming football game the Bearcats will take on Doniphan-Trumbull with a 7 p.m. kickoff at Henderson, followed by the crowning of Homecoming royalty from both schools. 
Jones said three senior boys and two girls from Hampton have been chosen as royalty candidates. He explained that since there are four girls in the senior class, the number of queen candidates is reduced from three to two. There are six boys in this year’s senior class.  
The candidates for queen are Kynleigh Joseph and Jillian Farris and the king candidates are Camden Riggs, Kyler Rojewski and Rylee Scheidemann. 
Following the coronation, the Homecoming Dance at Heartland will begin at 10 p.m.