VIDALIA, La. &045; See a bunch of cars at a high school on a Sunday afternoon, and you never know what you’re going to get.

A study session by unusually motivated teens. A teacher doing the organizing she didn’t get to do before school started. Sports practice, perhaps.

But what took place at Vidalia High School that afternoon was none of the above. Instead, several young women, their mothers and mentors were busy getting elbow-deep in glitter as part of events leading up to Friday’s homecoming game.

The teens, all members of Vidalia High’s homecoming court, were participating in the tradition of decorating posterboard &uot;footballs&uot; with their names and titles &045; Homecoming Queen, Senior Maid and so on &045; to place on the school’s homecoming float later this week.

And that’s not all. Starting after school today, they’ll participate in further decorating the float itself. Thursday, they’ll decorate the school’s gym for the presentation, at Friday morning’s pep rally, of the homecoming court.

And that night is their big night, their stroll onto the school’s football field in front of cheering Viking fans.

It’s a heady proposition for all the participants, not the least for those going through it for the very first time.

&uot;I’m excited,&uot; was all Anna Beth Baker, a sophomore maid, could muster with a shy smile as she put the finishing touches on her football before spraying it to make the red, blue, gold and silver glitter set.

&uot;And this is just the start of it,&uot; she added, referring to the week of homecoming events ahead.

Vidalia High’s homecoming game will be held at 7 p.m. Friday against Farmerville.