LA FERIA — Chants and cheers are heard in a room full of cheerleaders and mascots trying to prove who is most spirited.
But an inexperienced school mascot took the spotlight by winning more than one award at the National Cheerleaders Association summer camp in San Antonio the week of July 22.
Jackie Mejia, a senior at La Feria High School, has been the mascot officially since the beginning of 2019 and has excelled in her duties ever since.
“Lexi the Lioness,” the mascot, cheers crowds during football games and other school activities alongside a male lion mascot.
Mejia had never been to a cheer summer camp, she said. There she learned new cheers to use during games. Her biggest surprise was she did not expect to win so many awards during the camp’s competitions.
“I wanted to be a mascot because I like how they interact with the crowd, and I like to be social and no one was being that one mascot so I took the spot,” Mejia said.
“I like to dance and make people laugh and get involved with the crowd as much as I can,” she said.
During camp, Mejia participated in different mascot contests and was nominated for several awards, which she won.
“We did different skits where you had to be funny and try to have the crowd engaged and I was nominated for All American mascot among others and I won several.
I was just being myself and being goofy, but I learned a lot,” she said.
Besides being a mascot Mejia also plays basketball and softball.
“It was a great learning experience and I had a lot of fun,” she said.
AWARDS WON
• NCA best mascot award
• NCA mascot unity
• NCA mascot All American nominee
• NCA mascot most spirited mascot
• NCA senior light blue ribbon
• Two NCA Superior blue ribbons
• NCA Excellent red ribbon
• NCA All American nominee
• NCA pin representing leadership, spirit, commitment, kindness and motivation.
