Lailah Gifty Akita was never a cheerleader, by all accounts. But the motivational speaker with many inspirational quotes could have had current and future Warren Area High School cheerleaders in mind with this one.

For over a week’s time this fall, WAHS cheerleaders hosted nearly a hundred “Little Dragons” at an annual football cheer camp.

Much more than a fundraiser for WAHS cheerleading, it has become a right of passage for Warren area cheerleaders.

“It is an annual fundraiser Wendy Carrington, WAHS Cheer Booster parents, and myself organize to help raise money for the JV and varsity competitive spirit season,” said WAHS cheer coach Melissa Feaster. “It’s been in place well before I took over the WAHS cheer program. I know most of our girls did mini-camp in elementary school. Not only is this a great fundraiser, but it also helps spark an individual’s interest in cheerleading. Over the last several years, more and more elementary students have signed up for the fall mini-camp. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, we invite them to practice with WAHS’ cheerleaders. During practices all week, the cheerleaders teach them a cheer, chants, and a short dance. Then the mini-Dragon cheerleaders are invited to cheer with the WAHS cheerleaders at the football game that week.”

Pictured are the Dragon “littles” at Warren’s last home football game in October.

Cheer camps have been going on for decades all over the nation, but it doesn’t make each and every one any less impactful. Carrington has been an assistant WAHS cheer coach for eight years, “and I think we have done it every year I’ve coached with the exception of COVID,” she said.

Her daughter, Annie, is a senior cheerleader and she attended mini-camps all the way back to first grade.

“Cheer camp encourages the younger students and hopefully they will keep cheering,” said Annie, who you could say has been cheering since before she was born.I’ve been involved in cheer since I started cheering at Beaty,” said Wendy. “I cheered there and at WAHS and then continued to cheer in college at Grove City College. I coached JV and varsity when I graduated from college for five years and then took a break from coaching to be with my kids. I actually went into labor with Annie on the way home from a cheer competition when I was coaching the varsity program at WAHS! You could say that she’s been involved in cheer for most of her life. She has always done mini-camps, but also cheered for (Warren County Youth Cheerleading) and for Beaty before cheering for WAHS.”

That has evolved into being a part of Warren’s fall, winter and competitive cheerleading teams; WAHS’ competitive spirit squad has won multiple District 10 championships and advanced to states a handful of times, including advancing to the second day of competition for the first time in 2022, and finishing as high as fourth in the state in 2023 in the Class 2A Large Varsity Division. That might pale in comparison to the wide eyes and smiles of first-through-sixth-graders that attended Warren’s last home football game at War Memorial Field.

“Students were given flyers with information and they signed up prior to the week,” said Coach Carrington. “Local screen printer Icyy Ink was commissioned to make nearly a hundred long-sleeve pink T-shirts. Once the week started rolling, the cheerleaders took over WAEC! They worked in stations — cheering, stunting, jumping, and learning all about what it’s like to be a cheerleader. And the high school cheerleaders didn’t get out of it without putting in work themselves. Each of the varsity and JV cheerleaders were assigned a grade level to work with and, within the grade level, a few ‘littles’ to mentor for the week. With 38 high school cheerleaders and 92 ‘littles,’ the track at War Memorial Field was a sea of pink for the last game of the season.”

Shown in this photo is Dragons’ “little” Antonella Clemente flying at Warren’s last home football game in October.

Which will someday turn into Blue and White if history is any indication.

“Antonella had a blast for mini cheer camp,” said Antonella’s mom, Natasha Clemente. “It’s something she looks forward to every year!”

WAHS sophomore cheerleader Allie Papalia is proud of her team “to see how much time we put into working with the ‘littles,’ and how excited they are to cheer. It’s fun to see some of the kids come back every year and still be just as excited.”

And why not? Children need heroes, and that’s just what the cheerleaders are when they are giving the younger versions of themselves such a precious gift — their time.

“Stay tuned! The Dragon cheerleaders also host an annual mini basketball cheer camp later in the winter season,” said Coach Carrington.

Pictured is Adley Brown in the middle with the Pom Pom.

Senior Aubree Marotta loves working with the ‘littles.’

“I know they look up to us a lot and I like to think that I could be the reason they cheer and find what they could possibly love in the future,” she said. “I know mini-camp was the reason I started cheer in the first place.”

Everyone had a favorite part of the week, but for ‘little’ Adley Brown, it was “doing the stunts at the game,” she said. “Yes, I plan to be a Dragon because I like the stunts and cheering for the team.”

When Adley’s mom Meggi told her daughter it was the last day of mini-camp, Adley responded, “That’s it? It’s only three days?”

There’s not even a question in Adeline Snell’s mind that she wants to someday cheer for the Dragons.

“Of course I do!” she exclaimed. “I can’t wait to cheer at more football games!”

“So cute,” said Coach Carrington. “This kind of response is probably the biggest reason I coach. It’s so fun to see how excited they all are, big and little. I love making connections with them and getting to know them all.”