Alexander High School’s cheerleaders recently helped brighten the spirit of some fellow teens undergoing treatment at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta - Scottish Rite Hospital with items collected during a special donation drive.
The cheerleaders collected nail polish, coloring books, card games, phone chargers, board games, toothbrushes, deodorant, soap and other items to help the teen patients during their stays at Scottish Rite, AHS Head Cheer Coach Leah Mathis said.
Mathis said retired Douglas County School System teachers Cathy Harrison and Lindy Boatman reached out to the cheerleading team at the beginning of the school year with the idea for the project.
Mathis emailed her cheer parents and cheerleaders and said everyone was on board immediately.
“I think this hits home with many of them because they were gathering things for people their age who could not be at home or school enjoying teenage life,” she said.
AHS cheerleaders collected the items for more than a month, and Harrison delivered them to Scottish Rite on Oct. 8.
"I was overwhelmed with the response I received from both my cheerleaders and their parents,” Mathis said. “It did my heart some good to know that when there is a need, we can answer the call. I really had a great sense of pride knowing that our cheer program had done something good to help, and I know we would gladly do it again."