Penn Homecoming Dance 2026 Information

Purchase Tickets Online Here

To help ensure that we have a smooth evening, we encourage students to buy their tickets early.

A lively scene at a nighttime event with people standing and socializing in a large open area, some with drinks, under a

The Penn-Harris-Madison Education Foundation is excited to host the Penn Homecoming Dance on Saturday, October 3, 2026 from 7:00 – 11:00 p.m. This year’s theme is “From Penn to Paris.”

 

Important Information for Students

  • Who: Only Penn High School students may purchase tickets. Students may come from other schools IF they are the date of a Penn High School student AND they are 20 years old or younger.
  • Location: Everwise Freed Field behind Penn High School
  • Dance Start Time: Doors open at 7:00 p.m. – please do not arrive early.
  • Parking: Available in the main lot.
  • Dress Code Reminder: Semi-formal wear is encouraged. No heels are permitted on the Penn football field.
  • Refunds: No refunds will be issued.
  • Food and Drink: Food trucks will have full meals available for purchase.
  • Tickets: Tickets will be downloaded from Eventbrite and scanned from your phone or printed receipt, you must have your student ID

A group of people posing for a photo at night.What to Expect

Students can enjoy an evening of outdoor games, music, food and dancing. Yard games will be set up on the football field, while a live DJ keeps the music going on the dance floor throughout the evening.

A lineup of food trucks will also be available, giving students plenty of options to grab something to eat during the dance.

With Paris-inspired décor, music, games, great food and plenty of Kingsmen spirit, the Homecoming Dance will be a fun way to wrap up Homecoming weekend.

Get Your Tickets

Tickets are available now online for $33.85. Purchase Homecoming Dance tickets here.

Have a song you want to hear at Homecoming? Students can also submit a song request here.

A group of people gathered at an outdoor event under a tent, with some standing and others dancing, all enjoying the festiveHomecoming Weekend

The dance follows a full night of P-H-M Homecoming festivities on Friday, October 2, including the Homecoming Expo and Fun Zone from 4–7 p.m., the Homecoming Parade at 5:30 p.m. and the Penn High School football game at 7:30 p.m. Click here for more information on other Homecoming festivities.

We can’t wait to celebrate Homecoming 2026 with our Kingsmen! Thank you to the P-H-M Education Foundation, Presenting Sponsor “Drive and Shine” and our other incredible sponsors for making these homecoming festivities possible.

 

 

Save the date: Homcoming dance from Penn to Paris, Saturday, October 3, 7pm, Semi-formal attire, Everwise Freed Field

Purchase Dance Tickets Online Here

P-H-M and Penn High School in the National Spotlight

Our first Kindergarten Kickoff, held on Friday, August 21, 2026, had a terrific turnout and tremendous community response.

The event was so touching it even garnered the attention of national network news!

A brief feature about our inaugural event was featured on NBC Nightly News on Saturday, September 5 at the end of the newscast as part of “There’s Good News Tonight” segment. Our portion was one of three stories highlighted as good news from across the country.

Click the link below watch our story …

 

2026 Kindergarten Kickoff Huge Success

Before the Penn football team kicked off their football season under the Friday Night Lights, another type of kickoff happened under the lights that brought both tears and cheers! Click here to see a full photo gallery.

On Friday, August 21, 2026 we held our first-ever Kindergarten Kickoff. It was a sight to behold and warmed our hearts–approximately 175 kindergartners and 100 seniors walking towards each other on the football field meeting at the 50 yard line. The goal was for the Class of 2027 students to welcome into the P-H-M Family the Class of 2039 students giving them gold and black pom-poms. To say the Future Kingsmen were excited was an understatement; and the seniors were pretty pumped to welcome them into the P-H-M Family. 

Click to watch the video below …

This new tradition will be added moving forward as part of the festivities of Penn High School’s Home Opener boy’s tackle football game and the Community Tailgate, which has been a longstanding tradition.

HELP NEEDED: Class of 2027 welcome Class of 2039 in “Kindergarten Kickoff”

This school year Penn High School will launch a new tradition celebrating the connection between Penn’s incoming Senior Class of 2027 and the Kindergarten Class of 2039.

At Penn’s first home football game on Friday, August 21 after the Community Tailgate (click here for more details on this event) and before the Penn-Valpo game, incoming kindergartners will be welcomed to the P-H-M family during our inaugural Kindergarten Kickoff celebration.

As part of this special event, Penn seniors will meet the kindergartners at the 50-yard line and pass them black and gold pom-poms, symbolizing the beginning of their journey as future Kingsmen and Lady Kingsmen.

This simple but meaningful moment represents the tradition, pride, and community that make Penn High School and P-H-M special. 

Info for Penn Seniors Class of 2027

Students in graduation cap and gown walking near and waving younger studentsSeniors, click here to sign up.

Space may be limited, so we encourage you to register early.

 

Info for Kindergarten Families

Click here to register your kindergartner to participate.

Show your Penn Pride by ordering your student an official Future Kingsmen t-shirt by clicking this link.

 

Three young girls in cheerleading uniforms holding pom poms, standing on a street next to a car and a truck.Event Details:

  • Community Tailgate is 5:30-7:00 p.m. You can feed each member of your family for just $6.00! 
  • Check in for Kindergarten Kickoff at the PHM Education Foundation Table by 6:00 p.m.
  • Pick up your child’s t-shirt (if purchased)
  • Enjoy the festivities and connect with other P-H-M families
  • One adult should stay with their child until they walk onto the field and will remain in the end zone to meet them afterwards
  • Get your cell phones ready to take pictures of your student participating in the Kindergarten Kickoff!

Stay for the game:

After the Community Tailgate and the Kindergarten Kickoff event, families are encouraged to stay and cheer on the Kingsmen as they take on Valparaiso in their home opener.

Kindergarten and younger siblings are FREE and do NOT need a ticket!

Purchase older student and adult tickets online by clicking here.

Community Tailgate, Friday August 21, 2026

P-H-M’s Annual Community Tailgate is a long-standing tradition that brings families, students, staff, and community members together to show their Penn pride. The event is held before the Penn Football home opener and is a chance for everyone across the district to connect, celebrate, and support the Kingsmen.

This year’s home opener will be against Valparaiso. Click here for game ticket info.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m. You must have a ticket to the football game to enter. Once inside the stadium head down to the white tents in the south end zone at the Yeoman Family Plaza to buy your $6.00 Meal Ticket.

An advertisement for a tailgate event at a high school football game on Friday, August 21st from 6:00 to 9:30pm

Do you have an incoming kindergartner or a Penn senior? 

P-H-M Education Foundation is hosting a special “Kindergarten Kickoff” before this year’s football game!

The Class of 2027 will welcome the future Class of 2039 into the P-H-M family by meeting kindergartners on the 50-yard line of the Kingsmen football field and presenting them with black and gold pom-poms.

If you are an incoming senior, click here for more details on how to sign up and participate.

Bowers selected for C-SPAN Educators Conference

Penn High School Social Studies teacher Eric Bowers was selected to attend C-SPAN’s Summer Educators’ Conference, July 27–29, in Washington, D.C.

Bowers is one of 31 middle and high school educators from across the country chosen to participate in the program, where attendees will explore C-SPAN’s free educational resources and learn strategies for integrating them into classroom instruction.

“This conference provides a collaborative space for teachers to discover practical resources, exchange ideas, and gain new strategies they can immediately implement in their classrooms,” said Craig McAndrew, C-SPAN director of Education Relations. “As former educators, our team values the opportunity to learn alongside the participants and support their efforts to create meaningful learning experiences. We are excited to continue C-SPAN’s long-standing tradition

Penn Unified Track & Field earns State Championship

Penn Unified Track and Field turned in a record-setting performance to capture the State Championship on Saturday, June 6, 2026.

Photo Galleries from the meet and the community celebration are posted below.

The Kingsmen scored 129 points to claim the state crown, surpassing the previous state-championship record of 126 set by Valparaiso in 2021.

State Championship heat winners wearing the gold-and-black included Elia DeSelm (400-meter dash), Ethan Holmes and Hope Roberson (long jump), Cohen Schiff and Anden Carmichael (shot put), the boys 4×100 relay (Cash Caloni, Chase Weaver, Anden Carmichael, Aidan Gigante), and the girls 4×100 relay (Logan Edwards, Payten Blatz, Alina Blackwell, Caitlyn Gaynor).

Top 5 Teams: 1. Penn 129, 2. Elkhart 121, 3. Lafayette Jefferson 102, 4. Fishers 99, 5. Kokomo 88.

Results: https://www.ihsaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2025-26%20UTr%20State%20Results.pdf

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Class of 2026 Commencement Photos Now Live!

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 !

 
It is our pleasure to provide photos of some of your most memorable times as a senior of Penn High School—from Pennstock 2025 (when you were juniors) to Commencement.
 
The District Communications Department partnered with Penn High School staff and students to provide these candid photos for FREE to our graduates and families. While we try to capture as many students as possible, unfortunately it’s not possible to get everyone, but we hope you enjoy this complimentary service.
 
Once you’re in the Photo Portal, click the photo tiles below to see the photos for each category. Commencement photos are at the top.
 
Inter-State Photography took individual pictures of seniors with their diplomas before they exited the stage. These photographs are available for purchase on a password protected website.
 
Password: PHS2026514  

ATTN SENIORS: Gate Change Arriving for Commencement

Please note on the day of commencement, Monday, June 8th, the doors for students to enter Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center will be open at 4:30 p.m. Seniors are to enter at Gate 3 and report to the field house at the Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center by 4:45 p.m. Seniors arriving after 5 p.m. will not be in alphabetical order and may be required to be seated at the end of the line or may even be excluded from commencement.

Parents and students can find other pertentent information related to Commencement on the 2026 Commencement Information web page.

Penn’s Watts named Finalist for Boys Volleyball Region Coach of the Year

Penn High School Boys Volleyball Coach Kelley Watts has been named a finalist by the 2026 Indiana Boys Volleyball Coaches Association for Coach for the Year in Region One East.
 
Penn won the Sectional Championship and finished with a 19-13 record this season. The Kingsmen posted a 6-0 record in the Northern Indiana Conference.
 
“(This is) well-deserved recognition of Coach Watts and her positive, humble, and impactful leadership of Penn Boys Volleyball!,” Penn Athletic Director Jeff Hart said. “We are blessed to have Kelley leading the program.”
 
In two seasons of Boys Volleyball at Penn, the Kingsmen have won two Sectional championships under Watts’ direction and have a 32-24 record overall, and an 11-2 conference record.
 
Watts was recently named the Penn-Harris-Madison 2026 Secondary Teacher of the Year.
 
 
IBVCA Finalists by Region:
 
One East
Jacob Allred, Homestead
Kelley Watts, Penn
 
One West
Liam Flaherty, Andrean
Naveed Nizam, Lake Central
 
Two East
Andrew Fuller, Carmel
Nick Jennings, Roncalli
 
Two West
Tyler Beeman, Zionsville
Zach Ridener, Perry Meridian
 
Three East
Austin Tofayo, Columbus
Wes Briscoe, Jeffersonville
 
Three West
Andrea Pawlik, Center Grove
Sarah Records, Franklin Community