Simpson College is painting the town red and gold before the Homecoming battle against the Coe College Kohawks Saturday afternoon.

“Paint the Town” is the theme for Simpson’s 2014 Homecoming. Students are celebrating the week by painting t-shirts, playing paint twister, street painting for organizations on campus and competing in a paint relay and obstacle course – among other events.

Tyler Stokesbary, sophomore history and international relations major, is a Homecoming Court nominee and serves as one of three Homecoming chairs for Simpson’s Campus Activities Board (CAB), an organization in charge of planning numerous events throughout Homecoming week.

Stokesbary explained how he, along with other CAB members, worked hard to make sure there would be plenty of events able to engage everyone on campus. They try to make it so the audience is having just as much fun as the participants during events such as Yell Like Hell and the paint relay.

“The people on the floor shouldn’t be the only people having fun,” he said. “We want it to be a good Homecoming for everyone.”

Yell Like Hell is a popular tradition for Simpson students and will take place Friday night. Students all across campus have been busy practicing their routines, while other students are excited to see what these performances will be.

Emily Stanton, junior vocal performance major involved in this weekend’s debut opera and theatre production, Carousel, is especially excited to watch Yell Like Hell.

“It is one of my favorite events,” Stanton said. “I just think it is awesome how everyone gets together and gets pumped up.”

After Yell Like Hell, students will celebrate the night before the game with the annual event Dance Like Hell, where musical group Scratch and Bang will perform. The group is a male duo with one on drums and the other a DJ.

Stokesbary has seen the group perform before and helped bring them to campus for the event.  “It has both aspects of being played by a DJ and being live which is really cool and gives it an amazing sound! I’m really excited for that.”

Saturday will bring an end to Homecoming week and will kickoff family weekend, but the Homecoming fun will not end without a bang.

First, Simpson College Storm will take on the Coe College Kohawks on the football field while red and gold fills the stands. 

“I know it is going to be a great game,” Stanton said. “I think it is great to see all of the students go to the game and support the storm.”

Kortni Congdon, a sophomore transfer student this semester, said she is excited to watch the game, but is mostly looking forward to the event following.

Simpson will be hosting a performance by David Cook, American Idol winner in 2008.

“I have loved David Cook ever since he first appeared on American Idol, so that will be great,” Congdon said.

Stokesbary agreed. “I’m really glad that we are going to have such a big name on campus. It is going to be a great event.”

Stokesbary and other members of CAB have worked hard the past few weeks to plan and organize these events. Stokesbary acknowledged they may have hit some bumps along the way, but says he is excited to see everything come together.

 “We will always learn from mistakes we make and next year we will do even better,” he said.

Congdon agrees she has gotten confused about what will be going on, and thinks the communication between the organization and the student body could have been better, but is overall happy with the events CAB has planned.

 “My old school had a Homecoming, but it was nothing like it is here. They didn’t have all of the special days and events, and I am excited to get involved.”

 Whether painting t-shirts, hunting for the hidden medallion, competing in the relay, voting for Homecoming court, playing messy twister, attending the theatre and music production Carousel or cheering the football team on toward victory, all students should get involved in the activities across campus.

 “Everyone should be involved with Homecoming because it is everyone’s Homecoming,” Stokesbary said.

 Congdon also said, “I know its going to be a lot of fun and I know my friends are going to make sure I stay involved.”