While homecoming is a tradition at high schools and colleges across the U.S., there’s not likely to be anything traditional about it this year, given the additional health and safety guidelines in place during the coronavirus pandemic.

At Franklin Regional, the homecoming ceremony Friday night, including crowning of the queen and king, will take place prior to the Panthers’ game against Greater Latrobe, rather than at halftime.

“We typically would have a homecoming bonfire and dance,” said the district’s interim communication director Tina Gillen. “Those two things, for obvious reasons, couldn’t happen.”

This year’s homecoming court is Nick Molicki and Maria Mento, Colton Johns and Divya Hedge, Isaac Gamwo and Meriem Boukabaar, Nick Kravits and Mairyn McFall, Zach Johnston and Sophia Massaro, Luke Reppermund and Lila Shilling, and Greg Sisco and Caitlin Whiteford.

Gillen said administrators are happy to be able to offer homecoming in some form, at least.

“At this point in time, things are so out of the ordinary — for community members, staff and students — so to be able to give them some kind of normalcy is certainly a joy for us,” Gillen said. “We wish we could do more to continue the traditions we’ve had, even if we have to modify them a bit to do so.”

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