Student groups show off homecoming school spirit with banner competition

During homecoming week, members of the football team aren't the only ones looking forward to competition.\nResidence halls, greek houses and other student groups around campus compete with one another to show their school pride with their most creative and original banners.\nThe banner contest is one of the four main events during homecoming festivities in which groups compete for the coveted Grand Champion Award, said Keyen Macklin, Student Alumni Association director of competition and correspondence.\nStudent organizations can also earn points for the parade, the Yell Like Hell event and window-painting competitions. The IU Alumni Association and the Student Alumni Association sponsor the contest.\n"(The goal of the events is) getting students excited about spreading homecoming spirit throughout the University," said Sondra Inman, director of student programs for SAA.\nShe added that the homecoming events, such as the banner contest, allow student organizations to work together and encourage alumni to return to Bloomington.\nSenior Daric Wickstrom, leading the Residence Halls Association and the National Residence Hall Honorary banner crew, said the combined student groups have been planning their ideas for a few weeks.\nAt press time, RHA and the National Residence Hall Honorary crew planned to enter all four competitions in an effort to take the Grand Champion Award.\n"(There are) only a few (organizations) that do all the events," Wickstrom said. "That's who we try to compete with."\nGroups Student Support Services also entered the banner and parade contests.\n"(The banner contest is) an annual thing we do every year," Robert Murphy, a member of Groups Student Support Services, said. "Everybody wanted to do that."\nFor the banner contest, scores are determined by students' creativity, use of color and incorporation of the "Glory Days" theme. Students are required to use oil-based paint on the banners in case of rain, Macklin said.\n"You can tell when someone put a lot of thought into (the banners)," said J. D. Denny, veteran banner contest judge and managing editor for Indiana Alumni Magazine. \nDenny said he would continue to judge the banner contest because it's another way for him to stay connected to campus. Denny and fellow judges Rebecca Salerno, associate director for the IU Office of Creative Services, and Leslie Fasone, greek life coordinator, award points to each banner. \nThe winner is announced at halftime of the football game, Inman said. First place wins 300 points, and each organization receives 50 points for entering the banner contest. \nDenny, who has judged the contest for the past three years, said he likes to see how creative the students can be.\n"There is always something new," Denny said. "Each year, there are three or four (banners) that really stand out."\nThe Residence Hall Association and National Residence Hall Honorary team placed second overall last year. \n"We hope to have a really good banner and float," Wickstrom said. "Hopefully we'll get first this year."\nThe overall winner of the competition receives the title, a trophy and will be recognized at halftime during the football game.