Rani Smith
1
ALEDO ISD C OLLEGE IN P ARADISE ◗ Aledo grad will be youngest cheerleader for Hawaii-Pacific U. squad Dominic Genetti The Community News Upon meeting Rani Smith today, you’d be greeted with a pearl-white smile, a friendly handshake and possibly a “hello” or “nice to meet you,” but come August all that will change. By the fall, Rani’s hellos and good-byes will only be communi- cated in one word, Aloha. The 2010 Aledo High graduate will be leaving the simple small town Texas lifestyle for the warm sunny beaches of Hawai’i to continue her education in Honolulu at Hawai’i Pacific University. “I think it’s very interesting,” the 17-year-old red-head said. “It’s such a big deal.” A potential degree in marketing, business, or even marine biology will be quite the big deal in four years, but that’s not the real reason to be celebrating her upcoming expe- rience. Rani will also be a cheer- leader at HPU not only pumping up the crowd at Sea Warrior games, but she’ll also be competing with her newly acquired teammates in national cheer competitions. Nationally renowned for their cheerleading program, HPU won their eighth straight National Cheerleading Association title in April. They’re usually compiled of upperclassmen, but impressed with her experience and talent, the HPU cheer program is bringing Rani up to compete as a freshman. The first in program history. “I am the youngest,” Rani, who turns 18 in July, said. “I don’t even know if there’s a sophomore on the team. I don’t know how it’s going to go or what to really expect.” She’s been cheering since age four and has seen loads of success with Aledo’s competitive cheer squad, the Mavericks, for years. There were a few years in there where she root- ed for the Bearcats, but after she didn’t make the freshman team in high school, her love for competitive cheerleading was born. “It’s definitely two different worlds of cheerleading,” Rani said. Based on more routines and pre- cise perfection, competitive cheer- leading isn’t about rooting for the home team. It’s about being the best, being better than the other squads. That’s where Rani got her passion and that’s what HPU liked about her. But all of this almost didn’t hap- pen. Like every high school senior, Rani was looking for the right place to go to college, however, it was hard to find the right one. “I was looking, looking and finally I said, you know what I’m just going to see if it comes to me,” she said. And it did. A friend and Aledo grad who was also attending HPU told her to consider the NCAA Division II uni- versity. An application, tryout and video submission of her talent later and Rani got her acceptance let- ter accompanied with an academic scholarship worth $2,000 a year. “It’s weird to think I’m going to be one of them,” she said. Nerves aside, Rani originally left her audition with little faith. Over 100 other girls tried out when she traveled to Florida to try to become a Sea Warrior cheerleader. “I walked off pretty much think- ing I didn’t make it because the other girls were good,” she said. “It was very intimidating because I had about 600 people in a circle watch- ing me.” Outside of competing as a back base with the HPU squad, she’ll also be required to appear at the different home games. The Sea Warriors have programs in baseball, softball, soc- cer, basketball and volleyball among others. The Sea Warriors softball team recently won the College World Series May 31. “I’m not as used to (cheering at games) because I haven’t done it in a while, but I definitely think I’ll get back in it,” Rani said. “I’m definite- ly looking forward to a whole new change of everything.” Accompanying her to Hawai’i is her mother, Debbie Smith, who’s not only happy for her daughter, but excited to see all the sites of the island state. “That’s an awesome opportunity. I am so excited for her,” Debbie said. “What you see is what you get from Rani. She’s independent, very straight forward. I really probably am in denial cause when I fly on the plane back home alone, it’s going to be sad. I haven’t really thought about it yet. When I think ahead it makes me kinda tear up cause we’re so close.” Rani will have to buy a major- ity of her things in Honolulu given airplane restrictions, but when all is said and done, that’s when the fun begins of seeing the sites of her new home for at least the next for years. First on the list is Pearl Harbor. DOMINIC GENETTI/THE COMMUNITY NEWS Aledo High School graduate Rani Smith will attend Hawaii-Pacific University in Honolulu where she will be a cheer- leader for the Sea Warriors.
-
Upload
dominic-genetti -
Category
Documents
-
view
257 -
download
0
description
An Aledo high senior decides to go to Hawaii for college.
Transcript of Rani Smith
4A June 11, 2010 News THE COMMUNITY NEWS
IF YOU WANT TO DRINK,THAT’S YOUR BUSINESS
IF YOU WANT TO STOP,THAT’S OURS
Announcing:The Aledo Group
Place:Aledo United Methodist Church(Rock house, east corner of the premises next to church)
103 E. Oak, Aledo, TX
Call:24-Hour Hotline: 817-332-3533
Times:• Monday 7:00 p.m.
• Tuesday 7:00 p.m
• Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
• Saturday 9:00 a.m
UN
ITY
SERVICE
RECOVERY
Group and Individual ProductsHealth Insurance - Long-Term Care Insurance
Life Insurance - Dental and Vision Plans Annuities/IRAs - Disability Insurance
Investments - Mutual Funds
• Lawn Maintenance• Landscaping• Large and Small Lots• Residential/Commercial• Free Estimates
John - 817-966-5433Stephen - 817-528-5099
Roy E. Ray InsuranceCOMMERCIAL & PERSONAL
AUTO • HOME • LIFE • HEALTH
817-441-9053
P.O. Box 1145 • Aledo, TX 76008 • FAX: 817-441-7145
We accept most major insurance, including:AETNA CAREMARK PAID (MEDCO)
MEDICARE PART D, PACIFICARE
Tackett Pharmacy132 El Chico Trail • Willow Park
817-441-7046Serving our community for
more than 20 years
• Pipe, Wood, Ornamental Fencing
• Custom Stall and Barn Construction
Tyler Atkins • [email protected] AVAILABLELocally Owned and Operated
!"#$%&'()*+,-./0/12'3'44/55'%676
!"#$%&'!8,))9':)*'%99'%;<+/45/55'%676
=%>'%?'@<8%#'!?*<<?+''''04AB114B0CDE'''FFF6%9<$)"786)*;
!"#"$%&'()%)*+(,#-&&*
./01(23(4(25!"#$%&'()*+,(-*,+.%&'/
6788(9:;:(4(3273<(=:;:012.(3(!4'(526)2742+(89(:;8;/()*+,(3)*(<+&%2.=(((>)*(?(@)*(1+&%2.(A$(7A..A#$(B&76=
!"#$%&'(&$)*+,-''"*&./+-*0"'1(/!"#$%&'"(&)(*+,,(-./.(0"$'")$#12(34'"(56
@9<%+<'+<<')"*'F<G+-?<':)*'?,<*<;-+?*%?-)#':)*76''H,<':)*7'8%#'G<'7%-9<$'?)/IJKLM'@6=6'N)O'4DPM'I9<$)M'HQ''AP550')*
:%O<$'?)'04AB114B4C2D6R)*7+'%9+)'%S%-9%G9<'-#'?,<'8,"*8,'T%*?,<O6
ALEDO ISD
COLLEGE IN PARADISE! Aledo grad will be youngest cheerleader for Hawaii-Pacifi c U. squadDominic Genetti The Community News
Upon meeting Rani Smith today, you’d be greeted with a pearl-white smile, a friendly handshake and possibly a “hello” or “nice to meet you,” but come August all that will change.
By the fall, Rani’s hellos and good-byes will only be communi-cated in one word, Aloha.
The 2010 Aledo High graduate will be leaving the simple small town Texas lifestyle for the warm sunny beaches of Hawai’i to continue her education in Honolulu at Hawai’i Pacifi c University.
“I think it’s very interesting,” the 17-year-old red-head said. “It’s such a big deal.”
A potential degree in marketing, business, or even marine biology will be quite the big deal in four years, but that’s not the real reason to be celebrating her upcoming expe-rience. Rani will also be a cheer-leader at HPU not only pumping up the crowd at Sea Warrior games, but she’ll also be competing with her newly acquired teammates in national cheer competitions.
Nationally renowned for their cheerleading program, HPU won their eighth straight National Cheerleading Association title in April. They’re usually compiled of upperclassmen, but impressed with her experience and talent, the HPU cheer program is bringing Rani up to compete as a freshman. The fi rst
in program history.“I am the youngest,” Rani, who
turns 18 in July, said. “I don’t even know if there’s a sophomore on the team. I don’t know how it’s going to go or what to really expect.”
She’s been cheering since age four and has seen loads of success with Aledo’s competitive cheer squad, the Mavericks, for years. There were a few years in there where she root-ed for the Bearcats, but after she didn’t make the freshman team in high school, her love for competitive cheerleading was born.
“It’s definitely two different
worlds of cheerleading,” Rani said.Based on more routines and pre-
cise perfection, competitive cheer-leading isn’t about rooting for the home team. It’s about being the best, being better than the other squads. That’s where Rani got her passion and that’s what HPU liked about her.
But all of this almost didn’t hap-pen.
Like every high school senior, Rani was looking for the right place to go to college, however, it was hard to fi nd the right one.
“I was looking, looking and fi nally I said, you know what I’m just going
to see if it comes to me,” she said.And it did.A friend and Aledo grad who
was also attending HPU told her to consider the NCAA Division II uni-versity. An application, tryout and video submission of her talent later and Rani got her acceptance let-ter accompanied with an academic scholarship worth $2,000 a year.
“It’s weird to think I’m going to be one of them,” she said.
Nerves aside, Rani originally left her audition with little faith. Over 100 other girls tried out when she traveled to Florida to try to become
a Sea Warrior cheerleader. “I walked off pretty much think-
ing I didn’t make it because the other girls were good,” she said. “Itwas very intimidating because I had about 600 people in a circle watch-ing me.”
Outside of competing as a back base with the HPU squad, she’ll also be required to appear at the different home games. The Sea Warriors have programs in baseball, softball, soc-cer, basketball and volleyball among others. The Sea Warriors softball team recently won the College WorldSeries May 31.
“I’m not as used to (cheering atgames) because I haven’t done it in a while, but I defi nitely think I’ll get back in it,” Rani said. “I’m defi nite-ly looking forward to a whole new change of everything.”
Accompanying her to Hawai’i is her mother, Debbie Smith, who’s not only happy for her daughter, but excited to see all the sites of the island state.
“That’s an awesome opportunity. I am so excited for her,” Debbie said. “What you see is what you get from Rani. She’s independent, very straight forward. I really probably am in denial cause when I fl y on the plane back home alone, it’s going to be sad. I haven’t really thought about it yet. When I think ahead it makes me kinda tear up cause we’re so close.”
Rani will have to buy a major-ity of her things in Honolulu given airplane restrictions, but when all is said and done, that’s when the fun begins of seeing the sites of her new home for at least the next for years.
First on the list is Pearl Harbor.
DOMINIC GENETTI/THE COMMUNITY NEWS
Aledo High School graduate Rani Smith will attend Hawaii-Pacific University in Honolulu where she will be a cheer-leader for the Sea Warriors.
