03/28/2024
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LELAND – The Roger Bacon Academy (RBA) Viking Cheerleaders once again returned victorious from Walt Disney World in Orlando, where they earned three National Championship titles at the 2017 Pop Warner National Cheer and Dance Championships.

Six teams attended the national event after solid victories at earlier qualifying competitions in Virginia Beach, Myrtle Beach and Wilmington. The teams are comprised not only of current students from all four of the Roger Bacon Academy community of charter schools, but also of students that have graduated from its managed schools, which offer classes through 8th grade.

All six teams placed in the finals culminating in live broadcast on ESPN, November 7th, 2017. One Junior Peewee team and one Junior Varsity team both placed 5th in their division, one Junior Varsity team won a silver medal in their division, and a Varsity, Junior Peewee, and Bantam team each won a 1st place National Championship title. This brings the total to 13 national titles that the cheerleaders have won.

The cheer program at The Roger Bacon Academy began in 2005 with 24 Charter Day School students, and has grown to 160 boys and girls from across all four of the Roger Bacon Academy managed charter schools in coastal North Carolina. The teams have a rigorous practice schedule, and over the last several months they’ve practiced outdoors, often in the heat and even in the rain, rolling out large, heavy mats for safety wherever they work. “I am so proud of our team, our coaches, and our parents!” said Jean LaFave, who has been the director of the cheerleading program since its start. “Some of these kids have been with us since Kindergarten. Their hard work combined with the dedication of the parents and coaches produces such strong competitors…It just amazes me.”

“It’s a lot of pressure,” said Mattie Tharp, a 10th grader on the National Champion Bantam team. She attended Charter Day School from Kindergarten through 8th grade, and is currently a straight-A student at Brunswick Early College pursuing an Associate’s Degree in Science. “But I love cheer, tumbling, and stunts!” A fierce competitor and enthusiastic mentor to the younger members on the Cheer and Dance teams, she said the people and family atmosphere is what keeps her coming back, despite a very busy academic schedule.

RBA is a management organization providing public charter schools with educational, administrative, and operational support. Since 2000, RBA has provided a signature educational program that combines the proven Direct Instruction teaching method with a robust classical curriculum— a combination which consistently produces best-in-county academic performance by four charter schools. RBA’s community of schools include Charter Day School in Leland, Columbus Charter School in Whiteville, Douglass Academy in Wilmington, and South Brunswick Charter School in Southport. All schools are public, tuition-free, and welcome any student regardless of income, ability, or address. Open enrollment for all 4 schools for the 2018-2019 school years runs January 1st through January 31st , 2018. For more information and to enroll online, visit EnrollRBA.com

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