Spirit Sprouts from Tiny Shouts at Carver Rec Center

By Nicki Mayo
Content Coordinator / TriCities.com
Published: July 22, 2008

Some E-S-T-U students are sharing team-spirit and physical fitness with little girls in Johnson City.

The East Tennessee State University Cheerleaders are hosting a free cheer camp for girls at the Carver Recreation Center.

Nearly 30 girls, ages seven to 14 packed the gym Monday for the two-day cheer clinic. They are working on five chants, two dance combinations and several jumps.

Carver Program Coordinator Tamara Foster says 50% of the girls trickled in from the Discovery summer enrichment camp. That seven-week program exposed children to government, science and mathematics. Workshops varied from water conservation and awareness, city life vs. mountain living, city hall and education.

Now ten volunteers from E-T-S-U are taking time out of the summer to add more training to these girls’ minds and bodies through cheerleading.

The free camp continues Tuesday at the Carver center starting at 9:30 a-m. It’s a city-funded program so all are encouraged to come out and shout.

If you’re not a cheerleader, you can root for them from the bleachers. The tiny cheerleaders will showcase their new routines and skills tomorrow for the public.