Written by Daniel Bell, Rome News-Tribune education editor, published 11/20/09
Rome will be represented Thursday when the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade winds through the streets of New York City thanks to three senior cheerleaders from Darlington.
The three young ladies — Hannah Montgomery, Payton Payne and Bethany Hyder — have already headed to the Big Apple because the cheerleaders have a few days of rehearsals ahead. They’ll be joining about 700 other cheerleaders who earned the chance to participate in the parade thanks to their leadership skills shown during a Universal Cheerleading Association camp last summer in Hilton Head, S.C.
It won’t be all work though, as the girls will take a tour of the Empire State Building and see a performance of the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall.
“I think we’re also going to the Statue of Liberty, which is cool,” said Payton.
“And there’s the shopping. It is New York,” added Hannah.
The young ladies will be wearing white uniforms with big red Macy’s stars on them as they walk the parade route. They’ll also be performing dance and cheer routines along the way, which is why the time for practice is required.
All three girls plan to attend college next year, with Hannah headed to Florida State University, Payton attending the University of Alabama, and Bethany going to Georgia Southern University. Hannah and Payton say they are considering trying out for the cheerleading teams at their colleges.
Hannah and Payton are captains of Darlington’s cheerleading team, and Bethany is an officer. Hannah and Payton are also following in the footsteps of their older sisters, both of whom also took part in the Thanksgiving parade.
