The Cincinnati Enquirer is pleased to offer The Spirit Award voting poll for weekly recognition of cheerleaders, dance team members and their squads.
Much like the popular athlete of the week voting, school fans and friends can vote on two weekly ballots (individual and team) for The Spirit Award. Only coaches can provide nominations each week, either for their squads or other teams.
Eligible are varsity girls and boys cheerleaders and dancers who exemplify the fruits of the spirit ‒ love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – while uplifting their squads, the student body and others.
Team nominations focus on squads that come together to help each other, work hard, do things right that week, show
outstanding virtues when dealing with or serving others, exceed expectations to prepare something special for the school or take part in any other honorable reason they might be acknowledged.
Winners will be announced with a story on Fridays. They will receive digital certificates and can share a photo with those certificates for an upcoming gallery. Email prepsports@enquirer.com or aharrison@enquirer.com to receive the certificate.
Coaches can email mlaughman@enquirer.com with questions, to join the email distribution list and submit nominations. The deadline is every Monday by noon.
Here are this week's ballots:
Individuals
Lucy Barnes, Bishop Fenwick ‒ Lucy is a senior game-day captain and exemplifies the qualities of love, patience, goodness with her teammates. She works hard for her team and her teammates look to her for guidance because of these attributes. She is especially spirited and encourages her teammates to get excited and have fun!
Ricky Jones, South Dearborn ‒ The junior is a dedicated member of the varsity cheer squad. Ricky joined the team last year and has shown tremendous improvement in a short amount of time. He is always willing to try new things and consistently looks for ways to challenge himself and improve his skills. Ricky brings a positive attitude to the team and is always willing to give his best effort and do whatever is asked of him. His willingness to learn, strong work ethic, and commitment to improving make him a valuable member of our team. We are proud of the progress Ricky has made and look forward to seeing him continue to grow and succeed.
Ella Myers, Newport Central Catholic High School ‒ Ella led her team with grace during NCC's historic first home football game. Love, joy, patience, and kindness ‒ all qualities that easily describe Ella. She is creative and trustworthy. She is the heart of the team and never lacking in love or support for the sport or her teammates. She challenges and guides. She is always willing to help her coaches and provide assistance to her underclassmen. NCC is blessed to have her on its roster.
Jesslyn Roberts, Milford ‒ Jesslyn naturally lifts the spirits of those around her through her kindness, positivity, and genuine care, always encouraging her teammates, supporting her classmates, and making everyone feel welcomed and valued.
Camaya Sanders, Winton Woods ‒ The senior is a natural leader both on and off the field. As captain of the cheer program and an active member of Student Council, she consistently uses her enthusiasm, positivity, and energy to uplift and support her peers. She is committed to helping all students thrive socially, academically, and athletically, making a positive impact wherever she goes.
Morgan Stewart, Taylor High School ‒ She is an incredibly hard worker with some big cheer goals in mind! There isn’t a challenge she shies away from. She is always willing to try something new, and if it doesn’t work the first time, she keeps working until she gets it. Morgan puts in the effort both on and off the mat. She works hard during practices, pushes herself to improve her skills, and puts in extra work outside of practice to become a better athlete and teammate. Beyond her hard work, Morgan is kind, thoughtful, and always willing to support those around her. She is such a great example of the athlete, teammate, and person we want to see Taylor cheer continue to grow into.
Maddy Yenser, Lakota East ‒ The senior has truly stepped up as a leader within our program by taking an active role in mentoring our younger cheerleaders. She has a natural gift for teaching cheers and ensuring that every team member understands the material and feels confident performing it. Maddy has also demonstrated creativity and initiative by organizing a scavenger hunt to introduce squad families and strengthen team connections. In addition, she helped develop the dance for the pep rally and plays an important role in managing our Instagram account, helping promote our program and increase its visibility within the community. Her leadership, creativity, and dedication have made a significant impact on our team.
Teams
Talawanda High School varsity cheerleaders - The team has been working to raise spirit throughout the school and student body for all of our fall sports and activities. Being creative and working together with our Student Section as well as our Athletic Booster Club, the team has raised the school to a new level of enthusiasm for our sports teams.
Taylor High School varsity cheerleaders – The squad is made up of varsity athletes who work hard, push each other, and always have each other’s backs. We’re proud of the team culture we’ve built, one where we support, encourage, and lift up not only our teammates, but the other teams around us too. This year, we’re focusing on the Three R’s: Respectful, Respectable, and Respected. We want to show up with a positive attitude, work hard, represent Taylor High School well, and be the kind of team that others can count on and look up to. Our goal this year is to stay team-focused while continuing to grow, stay dedicated, and put in the hard work. We’re excited to see how much these 18 athletes can accomplish together!
How to get Enquirer winners' certificates from the 2026-2027 school year
Current winners may receive their certificates by sending an email to prepsports@enquirer.com.
How to get Enquirer winners' certificates from the 2025-2026 school year
For past winners: The Enquirer will no longer mail certificates to schools after getting feedback that families weren't receiving them. Alex Harrison will make digital copies of all certificates available to families by 8 a.m. the Monday after the Friday win. Families will access the PDFs through this public Dropbox link. Once printed, families can email a photo to mlaughman@enquirer.com for our gallery.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Vote for The Enquirer's Spirit Award honoring cheer, dance teams
