Jets Homecoming Parade takes historic district route to stadium

James Clemens High School students check the canned food and paper supplies that they have collected for their 2014 homecoming parade. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Rev that Jet spirit! The homecoming parade for James Clemens High School is slated for Thursday. Start time will be 5:30 p.m.

Line-up for parade entries will start at 4 p.m. on Skate Park Drive in Insanity Skate Park (near the intersection of Hughes and Mill Roads). Parade units will proceed onto Mill Road and proceed east to Church Street.

The parade will continue down Church Street, across the railroad and jag briefly on Main Street. Then, the route will turn south on Garner Street, cross Martin Street and turn east on Lanier Road.

From Lanier, the parade will turn south on Celtic Drive and end at Madison City Schools Stadium, 211 Celtic Drive.

“After the parade, a pep rally will be held at the stadium,” Student Government Association Executive Sponsor Melanie Turner said. “We really want the community to be involved in this parade.”

In a unique angle for civic involvement, James Clemens classes, organizations and employees have held food and supply drives to help local food banks and mission centers.

Spectators can “donate to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. SGA is going to have huge bunches of balloons that parade goers can buy with a donation,” Turner said.

Three floats are collecting paper goods, canned food and books for the Downtown Rescue Mission. Harris Home for Children will receive boxed foods. Inside-Out Ministries will get shoes and socks. The Boys and Girls Club will get bottled water. Residents can donate to Toys for Toys.

Spectators can “decorate floats with more donations as they drive by. Students will be walking with their floats to collect donations,” Turner said.

James Clemens students are observing Spirit Week by wearing themed clothing. On Oct. 13, students wore “business on top, party on the bottom” outfits, followed by Nerd Day, Walt Disney Wednesday, Throwback Thursday and Spirit Day.

At Friday’s pep rally, charity representatives will receive donations. For homecoming on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m., James Clemens Jets will clash with Madison County rival, the Sparkman High School Senators.