McHenry High celebrates 100 years at homecoming parade

McHenry High School commemorated its 100th anniversary and the start of homecoming week with a parade through downtown McHenry and a rally overlooking the Fox River at Miller Point Park.

The building that is now home to McHenry High School’s Freshman Campus opened its doors in the 1924-25 school year.

[ Photos: Homecoming parade for McHenry High's 100th birthday ]

The marching band, choir and cheer and dance teams participated in the parade, which featured floats carrying the fall sports teams including soccer, cross country, football and the newly launched flag football squad.

The parade route was a little different this year, stepping off at Veterans Memorial Park on Pearl Street, before turning and heading down Green Street and terminating at the Freshman Campus. The route passed by downtown businesses, many of which had paint on the windows with McHenry High School and homecoming themes. Other businesses in the downtown area not on the parade route, including Riverside Bakery and Reese’s Barkery and Pawtique on Riverside Drive, also sported homecoming paint on their storefronts.

Seniors Caleb Bone and Hailee Wilkerson walked in the parade. Bone said it was a blast being able to toss out candy. He praised the school’s advancements. Wilkerson said her favorite part of the afternoon was “just being with friends.” She transferred in last year, but felt like McHenry is her school.

The parade’s grand marshal was Erica Borggren. Borggren, a 1998 graduate, said the award was a “huge honor.” She was named a distinguished alum graduate in June. After high school, she attended West Point and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science, according to a bio on the McHenry High School website. Borggren attended the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, then served in the military in Korea and Iraq.

In Iraq, she was a speechwriter and communications adviser to Gen. David Petraeus. After she left the military, she served as director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and acting secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation. In 2015, Borggren began working for ComEd and currently works for its parent company, Exelon.

Borggren said her husband, Erik, nominated her for the award. The couple met in the military. School officials presented Borggren with a plaque at the rally.

Borggren said she marched with the dance team in the parade when she was in high school, and said it feels very “full-circle.”

In addition to being honored at the parade, she will be recognized at the football game Friday. Borggren also plans to visit the high school Monday, saying, “I’m really looking forward to it.”

After the parade, students and spectators, many of whom were wearing McHenry spirit wear or orange and black, made their way to Miller Point Park for the “Pack the Point” rally, which is new this year. The park officially opened last year.

The band and choir performed songs from “The Greatest Showman” at the rally, a nod to this year’s homecoming theme of “The Greatest Homecoming.”

At the rally, Lex Bach and Yaneli Solorio were crowned homecoming king and queen. The members of the homecoming court received gift bags with a playing cards inside and the king and queen had their respective cards in their bags.

“I’m at a loss for words,” Bach said.

Sunday’s festivities kicked off homecoming week for McHenry. Other festivities include powderpuff football at 6 p.m. Wednesday at McCracken Field, the football game Friday night against Crystal Lake South, also at McCracken Field, and the homecoming dance Saturday night at the Upper Campus.

For graduates, McHenry plans to host an alumni tent at the southwest corner of the football field at Friday night’s game. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. and food will be provided, according to the high school’s website.