Oswego High School students kicked off homecoming week on Sept. 28 by marching in a parade through downtown Oswego, while Oswego East High School students decorated the hallways of their school.

For Melissa Baier, who is an Oswego School District 308 social worker, watching the Oswego High School homecoming parade is a longstanding tradition. Two of her children attend Oswego High School and another child is in the fourth grade.

“We live close to the downtown, so it’s usually a walk-up situation,” Baier said. “We love the candy and seeing all of our neighbors and friends in a different environment. It’s nice to see the kids with all of their fall sports teams.”

At Oswego East High School, sophomore Ellie Truesdale and her fellow students kicked off homecoming week by decorating the hallways of the school.

The students are rewarded for their efforts.

“The teachers will see which hallway looks the best and you’ll get a certain amount of spirit points,” Truesdale said.

Truesdale also helped decorate the school last year for homecoming when she was a freshman. This year, all the decorations she was putting up were green.

“They give us a different color based on what grade you’re in,” Truesdale said. “Freshmen are always blue, sophomores are always green, juniors are always yellow and seniors are always red.”

Oswego East sophomore Lilly Petrak enjoys decorating her school for homecoming. She did so as a freshman as well.

“I like the school spirit that it creates,” Petrak said. “It’s just a really fun week. It’s a way to bond with my classmates.”

Both Oswego and Oswego East high schools will wrap up homecoming week on Oct. 4 with homecoming dances.