As the 2020 Homecoming week kicks off, Panthers will be keeping their distance and making masks part of their attire.

“While things will look different this year, we want to provide some fun events that engage students in some of the good things going on right now,” said Tim Wormald, principal of Powell High School.

Homecoming week is something students look forward to every year, he said, and with all the changes in 2020, it’s important to give students the opportunity to participate in a fun event.

“Homecoming is an event that unites us,” Wormald said. “It seems like there are so many issues going on right now that divide us, but Homecoming reminds us that we are all united in that we are all Panthers.”

Panthers will be competing in cross country, swimming, volleyball, tennis and football this week. For the volleyball, swimming and football teams, a Park County rivalry will be revisited as the Panthers take on the Cody Fillies and Broncs.

Homecoming week started Monday with a pajama dress-up day and a drive-in movie that night, where students were required to remain at least 6 feet apart or wear a face covering.

“This requirement is also in place at the athletic events scheduled during the week, including the football game on Friday night,” Wormald said. “We have realized just how quickly opportunities to compete can be taken from our students, so we’re asking everyone to do their part to limit the spread of this virus.”

There will not be Homecoming Olympics or a Homecoming Parade this year.

Dress-up days continue today (Tuesday) with red, white and blue attire. There was confusion over the America-themed activity last week, as some residents incorrectly claimed PHS wasn’t allowing it.

“Unfortunately, the situation about Red, White, and Blue Day is a result of some miscommunication on my part,” Wormald said Friday.

As the PHS Student Council was brainstorming ideas for Homecoming dress-up days, Wormald gave the students some feedback about not wanting to find themselves in the news like another Wyoming school that had to pull the plug on America day several years ago. In that case, Jackson Hole High School did not include America day in its Homecoming festivities after some concern it carried an anti-immigrant connotation at the school, where about a third of the students are Latino, according to Wyoming Public Media.

“My message was that we just want to be aware of that incident in order to try to avoid a similar situation at PHS,” Wormald said. “However, the message that was received was that the students would not be allowed to have America day.’

He said the miscommunication was his fault.

“Looking back, I never should have said anything about it because I’m sure our students would have done a great job of planning without the feedback I provided,” Wormald said.

As soon as the principal learned about the fallout of that miscommunication, he contacted PHS Activities Director Scott McKenize and asked him to encourage the student council to go forward with America day.

“I certainly never intended to convey a message that we do not want our students to be proud of their country or to be involved in this great democracy in which we are blessed to live,” Wormald said.

The principal plans to wear his red, white, and blue today (Tuesday) and encourages all students and school staff to do the same.

“During Homecoming week, we are unified in that we are Panthers,” Wormald said. “We can also be united in that we are all Americans, regardless of our different viewpoints and political differences.”

Other dress-up days for the week are color day on Wednesday, where freshmen wear yellow, sophomores deck out in red, juniors go green and seniors don blue.

Thursday is Hawaiian day, while the week closes with Panthers showing their orange-and-black school spirit on Friday.

Principal Wormald commended student council members for their great job planning Homecoming events, which had to be within the current health orders, including social distancing and face coverings. He said it wasn’t an easy task.

“Specifically, I want to thank President Sophe Morrow and Vice President Elsie Spomer for their leadership of this year’s student council,” Wormald said. “Providing leadership during this time is not an easy order, and these two young ladies are doing great.”

Wormald said he’s also proud of how PHS students have handled the new health requirements this year.

“They have adjusted well and have maintained a positive attitude throughout,” Wormald said, adding that “most students recognize the importance of their social distancing and face covering efforts in our work to keep our school open and our teams competing.”

“They take the responsibility very seriously,” he said. “These changes are not fun for any of us, but I’m sure proud of our students for the way they have handled things this year.”

He said school leaders appreciate everyone’s efforts to social distance and wear face coverings at school-sponsored events, including at the Sept. 11 football game.

“We all have to work together to provide the best opportunity for our students to stay in school and compete in their events,” he said.