Six Brookville High School cheerleaders are headed to the Big Apple for Thanksgiving — more specifically for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Even with the big day more than three months away, the excitement was palpable Friday afternoon as the girls chatted about the trip before practice.
“I got the invitation and it was too good to turn down,” said coach Amanda Dean.
Dean, who received word of the invitation toward the end of the school year, quickly had the tough task of selecting only six cheerleaders to attend.
The six who will make the trip to New York City are: Lauren Metz, Ashley Christian, Ashley Cox, Brittany Adkins, Morgan Musgrove and Amanda Everhart. They are all seniors and have cheered for all four years of high school.
Dean, who started in Campbell County five years ago, said this is the first group of girls she’s been with all the way from freshman to senior year.
“I’ve coached them from start to finish,” she said.
After deciding which girls would attend, it was full speed ahead with fundraising.
“It’s pretty expensive,” Dean said, adding the deadline for the deposit was July 12 and the deadline to pay is Sept. 12. “We’ve been working a lot of bingos.”
The trip costs about $14,000, but the team made their fundraising goal $7,000. Dean said the girls have been working summer jobs and had help from parents to make up the difference.
With only two months to fundraise the group has done car washes, planned a cheerleading clinic and is raffling off a prime parking spot to students during registration next week.
The parade, long been an American tradition, started in 1924, according to the Macy’s Web site.
When Brookville cheerleaders march this November they will be in the company of college and high school bands, choral groups, dancers and even celebrities.
“It’s exciting. We’re the only school in the area,” Metz said, also marveling at her team’s chance to be in the spotlight. “I’m going to be on TV!”
The buzz from the Bees continued while the girls talked about their thoughts on the trip.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Cox said.
Said Christian: “We get to work with choreographers.”
Many of the girls said it will be their first trip to New York City. They plan to see the Empire State Building, the Rockettes and do plenty of shopping.
While the cheerleaders agreed the trip will be a blast, they haven’t lost sight of what the opportunity means. It’s something to which younger teammates can aspire, and it’s a chance to represent their school.
“It does feel good,” Adkins said. “You’re proud.”
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