Bradenton Christian cheerleaders get Macy’s parade invite

The hundreds of performers march into the performance area, eager for their nationally televised moment.

The brightly colored uniforms and pompom vie with the broad smiles on the girls’ faces for a viewer’s attention.

In front of Macy’s famous New York City storefront, many of those faces will be visible to everyone watching at home. And this Thanksgiving, some of those faces may belong to the Bradenton Christian School varsity cheerleading squad.

The 15-girl squad learned last Friday its application to participate in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade had been accepted.

“There was lots of excitement from the girls and the families, but then everyone focused on how do we fundraise,” Bradenton Christian cheerleading coach Amanda Stilwell said.

And that may be a tougher challenge than receiving the invite.

After watching the holiday tradition in November, Stilwell decided to apply.

She recorded the squad’s regular routine at a basketball game to serve as its audition tape and submitted it and an application in late February to Spirit of America Productions. The company operates two performance groups for high school age boys and girls that appear in the Macy’s parade annually: the cheerleader group and the dance group. In some years, dancers or cheerleaders selected by the company also perform as part of the parade broadcast’s opening musical performance.

Then the squad waited.

Now, the squad can’t wait a second.

It must raise approximately $6,000 for 15 registration deposits in the next two months, if not sooner, and $2,300 overall for each participant (a little more than $32,000) by Sept. 15 just to cover the participant fees, which include hotel, most meals and planned group activities. Chaperones must pay additional, equivalent fees by the same deadlines, according to the company’s website. So, adding the cost for Stilwell and three chaperones raises the needed total to more than $41,000.

“This is all very new, so we haven’t had time yet to get into the whole fundraising part,” said Stilwell, who indicated they will look at on-campus fundraisers; off-campus events; sponsorships from community businesses; and, perhaps, an Internet fundraising campaign in an attempt to ensure every girl gets to go.

The squad also has to raise additional funds to cover its travel to and from New York City, travel days meals, standardized rehearsal clothing as well as any incidental expenses while in the city from the Saturday before Thanksgiving, when group rehearsals begin, through their Friday return home.

Despite the daunting task ahead, Stilwell has high hopes.

“They are going to take away an amazing experience,” Stilwell said of the chance to meet and perform with their peers, to spend the holiday in New York and to march in an iconic parade so many grew up watching. “It is not just about cheerleading or high school memories. It will be about memories that will last a lifetime.”

And for Stilwell, the next seven months will be about building a plan that can be repeated for future varsity generations.

“The middle school cheerleaders are already excited, talking about how they can’t wait to get to high school so they can audition for the parade someday,” Stilwell said.

This story was originally published April 29, 2017 at 5:07 PM with the headline "Bradenton Christian cheerleaders get Macy’s parade invite."