The Bridgeport High School Cheerleaders raised about $2,000 at Saturday’s car wash, but the next fundraiser will be the team’s bread and butter for the year.

 

Always popular is the Little Miss Indian contest which is about to kick off and lasts through Friday, Oct. 9. Each of the 16 cheerleaders on the squad will sponsor a “Little Miss” or “Tiny Miss” contestant who will raise dollars for the Indian Cheer Team. The contestant who raises the most money will be crowned at the Oct. 9 home football game against Keyser.

 

“Each cheerleader sponsors a girl from age 4 to 11 and we divide them up between Little Miss and  Tiny Miss Indian so there are two winners and two runners up,” said BHS Cheer Coach Emilee Stout.

 

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

 

Prior to the Oct. 9 Keyser game, the cheerleaders and contestants will walk across the field and each will be introduced, after which the runners up and winners will be announced. All contestants will receive flowers and a bag of gifts. That will take place at or shortly after 7 p.m., Stout said.  

 

The Little Miss Indian contest is a tradition which has been around for quite some time.

 

“Bridgeport has done it for a long time, even before I was in high school,” said Stout, who cheered for the Indians prior to her 2004 BHS graduation.

 

In recent years, Little Miss Indian has averaged $6,000 and $7,000. Those funds, combined with the car wash and winter sports program fundraisers, enable the cheer team to purchase uniforms and offsets travel and choreography costs. For the past couple of years, the cheerleaders have organized winter sports programs to recognize BHS athletes who participate in winter sports such as basketball, swimming and wrestling.

 

In addition to prepping for football games, the Indian cheer team has been working on routines for the West Virginia Class AA Region II Cheer Competition, to be held 2 p.m. Sat., Nov. 7 at Hedgesville High School. In 2014, BHS was runner-up in the regional competition and the succeeding state competition in Charleston. 

 

Stout and her girls appreciate the community's support of all fundraisers, including Little Miss Indian. A list of contestants will soon be available and posted on Connect-Bridgeport. 

 

Editor's Note: Photos of team members practicing, of Coach Emilee Stout and from last year's Little Miss Indian contest were taken by Ben Queen Potography.