By PAIGE CARR

Staff writer

Palm trees, pineapples, and pom-poms are subjects heavy on the minds of Peabody-Burns High School cheerleaders Adriana Newman and Kayla Page. The cheerleaders will be participating in the 17th annual CheerHawaii USA summer invitational held on the University of Hawaii Campus in Oahu this June.

The girls were nominated by their cheerleading coach, Denae Pickens. Participants are selected based on their leadership qualities, academic standing, and involvement in service organizations.

“I nominated them because they are both serious about moving forward with cheer in college,” Pickens said. “Another reason is they have wonderful leadership skills and are active in our school and community, which are both things the organization was looking for. I’m incredibly proud of them.”

According to Pickens, there will be nine NCAA Division 1 coaches at the cheer camp to offer advice to the girls.

With the pride the cheerleaders, their parents, and Pickens experienced upon discovery they were selected to attend, also came the realization of the stout financial contribution.

Along with the $2,500 camp tuitions, attendees are also responsible for airfare and spending money for the trip.

The cheerleaders, along with the help from their parents and Pickens, have been diligently organizing a community luau and gift basket raffle to help raise as much of the money as possible.

Supporters can gather at the Peabody American Legion on Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m.

The luau will feature a variety of donated gift baskets that are to be raffled off. Supporters can purchase tickets and put them in the drawing for the baskets they are interested in.

So far, there are around 25 baskets that have been donated to the cheerleaders. Early raffle tickets are available at ManeStreet Beautique for $1 each or $5 for six. Early participants do not have to be present at the luau to receive their prize, as their information should be written on the purchased tickets.

Page’s father, Travis Foth, will be roasting a hog for the event. Potato salad, grilled pineapple, baked beans, and dessert also will be offered.

Everyone involved has been hard at work preparing to send the girls off for an opportunity of a lifetime.

“I think it’s going to be a fun and great experience,” said Newman. “Just another thing to check off of our list.”

Newman and Page share a strong friendship outside of the Friday night lights. Page, a senior at PBHS who has plans to cheer at Pittsburg State University after graduation, says while she is excited about many avenues this opportunity will present, spending time with her friend is on the top of the list.

“When we were little we would always go to the older cheerleader’s houses,” Page said. “Our big dream was to become cheerleaders. I mean, she’s my sister.”