The families of three Meadowview Christian School cheerleaders will each have an empty spot at the Thanksgiving table this year. They’ll be marching in nationally known parades this year.

The three cheeleaders won awards in this summer’s AISA All-Star and UCA East Junior High All-Star competitions held at Huntingdon College in July.

Maegan Stephens, a senior, was named to the AISA All-Star cheerleading squad while eighth-graders Hope Lee and Bailey Smith made the UCA All-Star Junior High squad.

As a result of her effort, Stephens who is Meadowview’s varsity captain, earned the right to go to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York City.

Lee and Smith will participate in the UCA Disney Thanksgiving Parade in Orlando.

All three will cheer for the All-Star football and basketball games in fall and winter.

According to Anne Stephens, varsity cheer sponsor, this was the

first time in three years for Meadowview to have a senior selected to the AISA All-Star team, and since Stephens was the only Meadowview senior on this year’s squad, she had to compete alone in front of the several hundred observers gathered on the Huntingdon College campus for the event.

“I really wanted it. I worked hard for it, and I’m very honored to receive the recognition,” said Stephens.

“I was very excited I made it and that all my hard work paid off,” said Lee.

“My mother was a cheerleader and I really appreciated her cheering me on during the competition,” said Smith.

Overall the Meadowview varsity squad was runner-up in the camp champion competition, and placed third in the home pom cheer and fifth in the extreme competitions.

The Meadowview junior high squad placed second in home pom in the UCA camp, which includes students from both public and private schools.

The AISA competition includes only private schools.