Vernon Hills gets hyped for homecoming

Vernon Hills High School students, staff and graduates will celebrate the school's sixth homecoming later this month.

Taking a page from Dr. Seuss, the theme of the weeklong celebration is "Oh the Places We'll Go."

The fun starts at 2 p.m. today with window painting at the school, 145 Lakeview Parkway.

Float building begins the following day at the Vernon Hills public works headquarters, 490 Greenleaf Drive. It will continue Tuesday and Wednesday, from 4 to 8 p.m. each day.

A trio of events are set for Thursday, starting with a 6:15 p.m. parade from Cherokee Park to the high school. The parade route, which runs through a business park, will be blocked off to traffic during the event.

Also scheduled for Thursday are a 7:30 p.m. pep rally and an 8:15 p.m. fireworks show, both at the school stadium.

The traditional homecoming football games, this year against Grant High School, are set for Friday. The sophomore game will begin at 5 p.m. and the varsity game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Finally, the homecoming dance is set to run from 8 to 11 p.m. at the school.

Students traditionally dress up -- or down -- in unusual outfits during homecoming week, and Vernon Hills' event is no exception. The dress code follows:

• Monday is Crazy Socks Day, for which students are supposed to wear wild, mismatched or colorful socks.

• Tuesday is Pajama Day, for which students can come to school in pajamas -- as long as they're appropriate.

• Wednesday is Hat Day, for which students will have the rare opportunity to wear hats in the building.

• Thursday is Color War Day, for which freshmen should wear red, sophomores should wear green, juniors should wear yellow and seniors should wear tie-dyed clothes. Teachers should wear black.

• Friday is "Go Cougars Go!" Day, for which people should wear blue and silver, the school colors.