Bridgeport High School Cheerleaders have kicked off the annual Little Miss Indian fundraiser, which is ongoing through Oct. 18.

 

Each of the 14 cheerleaders has sponsored a “Little Miss” or “Tiny Miss” contestant who will raise dollars for the Indian cheer squad. The contestants who raise the most money in each category be crowned at the Oct. 20 home football game against Keyser.

 

Indian Cheer Coach Natalie Hathaway said each cheerleader sponsors a girl age 4 to 11, then the contestants are divided up between Little Miss (age 7 and up) and Tiny Miss (age 6 and under). 

 

Cheerleader/contestant teams raise money in a variety of ways. Some get business sponsors or set out canisters at local businesses for donations. Others sell Indian-themed items, such as cups, scarves or novelties.

 

During the Oct. 20 pre-game, cheerleaders and their little contestants will walk across the field and each will be introduced, after which runners-up and winners will be announced in each category. All contestants will receive flowers and a bag of gifts. That will take place at or shortly after 7 p.m., Hathaway said.  

 

The Little Miss Indian contest is a tradition which has been around for quite some time. In fact, Hathaway was a contestant in the 1996 Little Miss Brave contest; a similar fundraiser for the Bridgeport Middle School cheerleaders. 

 

In recent years, Little Miss Indian has raised as much as $10,000 to $12,000; money which is used for uniforms, choreography and other expenses. The contest is not the Indian cheerleaders' only fundraiser, but it is an important one, Hathaway said. 

 

"This fundraiser is so important to our squad year after year because it helps pay for things such as uniforms and fees that allow for us to have copyright-friendly music made for our routine which can be costly, but is crucial to the success of our team at competitions," she said. 

 

She thanks the community for its support of the fundraiser, which has become yet another Bridgeport tradition within the community.

 

"It is so much fun for the contestants to get ot be out on the Indians' football field, be in the parade and do these things with a cheerleader that they can form a bond with," she said. "The contestants, their family and their host cheerleader - along with the support of our generous community - are the main reasons it is successful. We are thankful for the work everyone puts into this event." 

 

This year's Tiny Miss Indian contestants are Giana Yocco, Gianna Dumas, Eliza Cooper, Aaliyah Reider, Maleia Belcastro, Ava Davis, Collins Randolph, Kaitlin Kerr and Natalie Ward. Little Miss Contestants are Lillyanna Smart, Kennedy Marsh, McKenna Knotts, Ansley Leach and Sylvia Devono. 

 

Editor's Note: Photo of Little Miss/Tiny Miss Indian contestants and BHS cheerleaders was taken after the 2017 BHS Homecoming parade. (Not all contestants or cheerleaders are pictured.)