AMY SZPARA

PHOTO 1: Kori Keller, 6, of Grand Point, left, and Darian Marse, 7, of Reserve give each other a hug after performing a brief dance at the camp. (Staff Photos by Amy Szpara) RESERVE – Little girls with pony tails and ribbons in their hair gathered around taller, older girls, looking to them as role models, following their every move. A chant, a cheer, a dance. They followed their instructions, and for the final move, the tiniest girl was lifted to the point of a human pyramid to top off the routine. The petite figure was boosted into the air, falling back down into trusted arms. The Riverside Academy Cheerleading Mini-Camp was just as much about forming lasting friendships and uniting girls who have similar interests as it was about teaching them how to be cheerleaders. From June 26 through June 29, the three-hour a day camp gave Riverside varsity cheerleaders a chance to teach younger girls some of what they know. Teresa Reher, kindergarten teacher and varsity squad sponsor at Riverside, directed the mini-camp which ran from 9 a.m. to noon each day. Girls from Pre-K through eighth grade split up into five groups according to age and were taught different routines based on their skill levels. PHOTO 2: Riverside Academy Cheerleader Mini-Camp attendees form a pyramid with Nikki Sebring, 12, of LaPlace, left, and Samantha Stein, 11, of Vacherie, on top. (Staff Photos by Amy Szpara) Open to any girl who wanted to learn, the camp ended Friday with an award ceremony and a show for the parents. Certificates were given to each participant. Each day began with stretching, and afterward the girls split into groups and began their dance routines. “Hey,” one of the captains might shout to the girls, and the girls would respond with “Ho,” which meant it was time to get quiet and listen. Two breaks were given each day for the girls to get snacks, and at 11:30 every morning they joined together as a larger group to discuss what they had learned and to demonstrate cheers. “It gives the little kids a chance to interact with the older girls. It’s really a family environment here. When school starts back, the older girls will see the younger ones in the hall and stop to chat,” said Reher, adding that Riverside is a pre-K through high school academy. “These young girls will be invited to cheer at varsity games on a Friday night.” PHOTO 3: A dance group practices a routine at the Riverside Academy Cheerleader Mini-Camp. (Staff Photo by Amy Szpara) Riverside Academy has both a varsity cheerleading team and a middle school squad. Both teams compete nationally. Last school year’s varsity team had 20 cheerleaders, and the middle school squad had 18 girls. “It’s been a great week, a wonderful week,” said Reher. “The girls are so eager to come here each day. The parents are saying that they are going around doing the cheers at home.” Sixty-nine girls attended the camp this year. The varsity cheerleaders range from freshmen to seniors, and they are the ones who acted as captains for the mini-campers. Christy Berthelot, 15, of Lutcher, was one of the varsity cheerleaders who helped teach the younger girls. Her first year as a cheerleader and at the camp, she said it was fun working with the kids. She taught first- and second-graders. “It’s fun to teach them and get to know them,” she said. “It’s fun, especially being with the kids.” One of Berthelot’s pupils, Courtney Keller, 7, of Reserve, said she was really enjoying the camp. “I’ve been cheering ever since pre-school. I like the chants best. I show my mom when I get home, and she thinks it’s good,” she said. Megan Smith, 11, of Loranger, attended the camp and said she had learned some new things. Already a cheerleader at Loranger Middle School, she has formed special bonds with her cheerleading teachers, she said. “Our teachers are great at teaching us. We learned how to do pyramids, something I hadn’t done before. I like cheering. I fit in here because I have a big mouth,” she said. “A big, big mouth,” added Brittany Naquin, 10, a student at Riverside Academy who attended the camp for her second time this year. Brittney Malain, 15, of Lutcher, was also a teacher at the mini-camp. Varsity Cheerleading Captain at Riverside, Malain taught the camp for her third year this year. “I think they are having even more fun this year than last. We’re doing more group stuff this time,” she said. “They’re getting to know everybody, not just the girls in their groups,” added Sherrie Torres, 16, of Garyville, who is also a cheerleading captain at Riverside. At Friday’s closing, the parents had a chance to watch their daughters perform, and every girl received a certificate for attending the mini-camp.