By Josh Beavers
Bonding is an important part of any team, organization, or other group that hopes to function as a team. That’s why it was important for the Lakeside cheer squad to gain a little fellowship away from school on a group trip down to Natchitoches.
Earlier this summer, cheer sponsors Madalyn Culpepper and Carrie Woodard, took the squad to cheer camp at Northwestern State University. After the camp, Culpepper arranged a tour of Gator Country Louisiana.
“We wanted a fun activity for the girls to do after camp,” Culpepper told The Journal. “When we arrived we went to a feeding show. A worker told us all about alligators in Louisiana, feeding habits, and safety. We then went to the wade pool to hold year-old gators, went to the reptile house to snakes, fed emu’s/goats/tortoises/deer, and we also rented poles to feed alligators all around the park.”
Culpepper, a Lakeside science teacher, said the trip was a chance for the squad to do something not cheer related and also have an environmental science lesson without realizing it.
“They laughed and even helped some overcome some fears of holding snakes,” she said. “In the end, there’s nothing more important than It was a lot of fun getting to see the girls bond and have fun outside of school and cheer.”
