This summer many cheerleaders submitted applications to be considered for Cheerleader of the Year. The committee looks at their grades, their school involvement, their community involvement, their extracurricular activities, and their letters of recommendations.

In July the committee announced the Top 40 Cheerleaders of the Year and among them were eight Fayette County students. They represented the county at the Cheerleader of the Year event Aug. 4 in Columbus. Four of these athletes were in the final 16.

From left: Susannah Kendrick, Whitewater; Claire Wilson, McIntosh; Tori Davis, Starr’s Mill; Halle Lane, McIntosh; Bennett Cate, McIntosh; Hannah Defler, Starr’s Mill; Lauren Schimandle, McIntosh; Emma Smith, Whitewater.

At the Aug. 4 event the top 40 competed and a final group of 16 was named. They were judged based on their interviews, applications and routines. The top 16 were also chosen to be on the GCCA All-State team. Defler, Davis, Kendrick and Smith made the list. The announcement of the Cheerleader of the Year will be at state competition in November.