Tune in to NBC’s live broadcast of the “82nd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade” from New York City at 9:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning and you just might catch a glimpse of two Rowan County Senior High School Varsity Cheerleaders. Paige Doyle, senior, and Chelsea Howell, junior, received special invitations to perform in the parade with the Spirit of America Cheerleaders. The Spirit of America Cheerleaders will open the parade telecast at 9:00 a.m. on Herald Square in front of Macy’s Department store. Miley Cyrus, David Archeleta, Trace Adkins, The Cheetah Girls, Push Play, Miss America 2008, James Taylor, the cast of the Broadway Musical Hair, Harajuku Girls, and many more stars are set to perform. “Today” co-anchor Meredith Vieira, Matt Lauer, and Al Roker will host the festivities with the parade’s historic route beginning at 77th Street and Central Park West and winding down Broadway delighting over 3.5 million live spectators and over 50 million viewers nationwide.
Paige Nicole Doyle is the 17 year old daughter of Penny & Larry Alexander and Dallas & Teresa Doyle. Paige resides in Tollesboro and is a Senior Honor student at Rowan County High School. This past summer Paige was chosen as a 2008 Governor’s Scholar spending 5 weeks at Centre College concentrating in the areas of Physical Science and Mathematical applications. While attending RCHS, Paige has been involved in COED-Y, Beta Club, Student Youth Advisor Board, Spanish Club, Science Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Student Government. Paige has enjoyed being a RCHS Viking cheerleader for the past 8 years. She was also a competitive Power Tumbler and Trampolinist, for 11 years with both Gym Dandy’s and TNT gyms of Morehead, winning many local and state titles. Paige has competed in 5 National Championships and 6 A.A.U. Junior Olympics winning many National titles including two A.A.U. Junior Olympic gold medals.
Chelsea LaShae Howell is the 17-year-old daughter of Chris and Teresa Howell of Morehead. She is the granddaughter of Ted and Ruby Adams of Tollesboro and Donald and Judy Howell of Sandy Hook. Dorothy Gilliam of Isonville is her great grandmother. She has been a cheerleader since the age of 5 cheering for local football and basketball teams as well as Rowan County Middle and High Schools. She was also a member of TNT’s all star cheerleading squad, Cheer Force Explosion, which traveled to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida to compete in Nationals in 2007. She has enjoyed competing in pageants since the age of 7 months, when she won her first title as “Baby Miss Rowan County”, and hold numerous titles and awards at local, state and national levels. At RCHS, Chelsea is a member of Co-Ed-Y and FCCLA. She has also been involved in the community as a teen volunteer at St. Claire Regional, a member of the Morehead Fire Explorers and served as a teen volunteer for Camp SMILE, a bereavement camp for children, where she presented her experience at a State Conference in Carrollton, KY this past summer.
Paige and Chelsea will be staying with other cheerleaders from across the country at the centrally located New York Hilton. While in New York they will participate in the “Big Apple City Tour”, visit the Empire State Building, see the Broadway show “In the Heights”, Radio City Music Halls Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes, and have dance class with one of New York’s most noted choreographers and dancers.
