Abby Ruebush recaps the highlights of Homecoming week 2022 in this special edition of ‘Spot Shorts.

Friday’s Homecoming football game and Saturday’s dance wrapped up a week of festivities. Read how Community celebrated Homecoming 2022 below.

Virtual assembly kicks off Homecoming week 

The Homecoming assembly was held virtually after Sep. 23’s inclement weather forced the annual event to be moved from the football field indoors.  

The assembly featured performances in the East gym by the marching band and the cheer and dance team, a series of games and the recognition of notable staff and students. 

With Community’s student population exceeding the gym’s capacity, students remained in 8th hour classes to watch a livestream of the assembly. 

Assembly Games

Fall sports athletes and staff members competed in a musical chairs spin-off — Musical Hoops. The sixteen contestants circled fifteen hula hoops until the music stopped, leaving players rushing to claim a hoop or face elimination before another hoop was removed. 

After fifteen rounds, Megan Metz (’23) of the girls cross country team was the last contestant remaining.

Community’s first Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament champion was named at the assembly after students and staff challenged each other to single rounds of the classic game throughout the day. 

Losers surrendered strands of orange and black beads to their opponents until the twelve winningest players— those with the most beads— shot for first place at the assembly. 

Jaheem Webber (’24) was victorious in the Student Council-sponsored tournament, acquiring 64 beads to earn first prize — a rock.

Elliott Oliver (’23) and Karthika Nair (’23) earned paper and scissors for placing second and third, respectively. 

Assembly Recognition 

Student Council President Avani Rai (’23) announced Homecoming Court, the ten students who received the most votes from fellow seniors:

• Shelby Hailey
• Owen Meyers
• Mansi Panda
• Hannah Pendleton
• Krishiv Sreejith
• Jake Holloway
• Haley Neal
• Noah Patterson
• Emily Reel
• Ciara Wallace

Track coach Mr. Bryan Thomas recognized shot put standout Alex Sohn (’23) as the 2022 varsity boys track & field team’s MVP for his exceptional athleticism and character. 

Sohn shattered Community’s shot put record that had stood since 1980 during the ’21 season, before besting his own record seven times on the way to a 2nd palce finish at the 2022 IHSA State Track competition. 

Ms. Courtney McClure announced the Senior Class Board’s 2022 Honorable Ironman, recognizing business teacher Mr. Ken Ross for his 8-year commitment to educating and serving others at Community. 

McClure also recognized this years retirees Mrs. Barb Koski’s and Mrs. Connie Ort. The Special Education and Family and Consumer Science teachers have served a combined forty years as educators. 

Student Council, class boards decorate halls 

Student Council decorated the atrium with balloons, movie posters, and painted signs for Community’s Hollywood-themed Homecoming week, “Red Carpet on Raab,” at a six-hour lock-in Saturday. 

Each class board covered its class’ hallway with everything from staff members’ pictures plastered on celebrities’ bodies to table cloths tucked into the lights this weekend. 

Seniors win Powderpuff, Iron Man Volleyball Tournament

The Class of ’23 claimed their second consecutive victory in the annual Powderpuff tournament after last year’s win as juniors, defeating the Class of ’24 14-7 in the final round Sunday.

A team of 10 senior boys won the FBLA-sponsored “Iron Man” volleyball tournament Tuesday. The activity replaced FBLA’s usual Homecoming week color run. 

Student Council hosts Mean Girls movie night

Student Council screened Mean Girls, projecting the hit film onto the wall behind the school at dusk for Sunday’s movie night. Students brought blankets, enjoyed concessions, and participated in a raffle for free movie tickets. 

 Iron’s Got Talent contestants showcase musical abilities

Students and staff performed a variety of musical pieces at Wednesday night’s Junior Class Board-sponsored Iron’s Got Talent. Contestants ranged from vocal and instrumental soloists to a teacher band dressed as Stranger Things characters.

Gibson Smith (’23) won the show by earning the loudest applause of the night. Smith played piano and sang “This Town” by Niall Horan as a tribute to his first talent show in sixth grade.

Finishing behind Smith were Madeline Calmes (’25), who sang “She Used to Be Mine” from the Broadway musical Waitress, and drummer Nelson Scott (’24), who performed the Mario Kart theme.

Home games shift conference rankings 

Lady Iron Volleyball won Thursday night’s home conference game against Richwoods in two sets (25-9, 25-15), marking their second conference win of the week and placing them third in the Big Twelve. 

Varsity soccer lost their home conference game 2-0 against fifth-ranked Champaign Central Thursday, dropping Community from first to third in the conference.