Kerman High invites Tom Hanks to homecoming; actor replies, ‘Gear up!’

A social media push to bring Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks to Kerman High School’s homecoming Oct. 9 may have succeeded, as Hanks tweeted a message to the local high school on Monday.

At 5:01 p.m., Hanks’ verified Twitter account sent out this message: “Gear up, Kerman High School for Homecoming! I’m working on something for the Festivities! Hanx.”

Hanks has a connection to Kerman High School: His second cousin, whom Kerman High School Principal Pam Sellick declined to identify, used to work there.

Sellick said the student council selected Hanks’ movies as the homecoming theme, and each grade will design a float based on one of the actor’s films.

The homecoming committee will have quite a few to choose from: The actor’s Internet Movie Database lists 78 total acting credits, including huge family hits “Big,” “Toy Story” and “Forrest Gump.” Hanks also owns his own production company, which produces movies and television miniseries like “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific.”

The Kerman students then took things a step further – using social media to create a movement asking Hanks to attend homecoming.

Administrators noticed Hanks’ tweet, Sellick said, but no one at the school had heard directly from Hanks or any of his representatives.

Sellick said Tuesday she hoped to hear from Hanks’ representatives by the end of the day, but that moment came and went without any official word.

This story was originally published September 1, 2015 at 11:56 AM with the headline "Kerman High invites Tom Hanks to homecoming; actor replies, ‘Gear up!’."