Et cetera : Homecoming! Seniors begin week with traditional painting

The Vinton-Shellsburg Homecoming week is under way. The seniors began the annual celebration on Sunday evening at the high school, where they first painted the banners that will be hung in the windows of area businesses. They then "white-washed," painting the parking lot of the high school before emptying dozens of cans of spray paint on their grey sweatshirts and sweat pants. The latest tradition of spray painting the grey clothing has been around about 20 years, according to parents who watched Sunday's activities. The whitewashing, however, goes back many more decades, to the days when Washington High School students would paint the street front of what is now VS Middle School. On Monday, students will learn whom the seniors voted as their Top 10 King and Queen candidates, and vote. The Top 5 will be revealed on Wednesday and the King and Queen crowned at Thursday's pep rally at the football field, which follows the 6 p.m. parade. The parade starts downtown on B Avenue/4th-5th Street. This year, school officials have change the schedule a bit, so the dance follows the football game on Friday. See more photos of Sunday's paintingHERE.