THE HEARTBEAT OF A SCHOOL IS ITS SPIRIT, RIGHT?

Well at Frassati Catholic, Misty Twellman is the Queen of Hype.

"When parents are looking for a school for their children, of course they are looking for academics and getting their kids into college," Twellman said. "But when kids look back on their high school years, they remember the fun. What the school needed was spirit."

The Falcons' cheer coach has been the architect of the Falcon vibe through her previous experience and dedication to the school. Not to mention her energy.

"I wanted a Catholic environment for my own kids," she said. "When we toured here, I remember one student ambassador who impressed our family so much. It wasn't about the gym or the science building, it's about the kids. That's what sells Frassati – the students."

Little did she know that the Falcons needed a cheer coach as the launch of varsity football was just around the corner.

"It was just a coincidence that they needed a cheer coach and I've had a lot of experience doing just that," she said.

She began to build her program, which started off with a bang.

"We had over 20 students come out for our first-ever team," she said. "It's a commitment because we are the only sport that is year-round, so it's a great way to get involved. It starts with cheer camp in the summer, then we cheer in the fall for volleyball and football and for soccer and basketball in the winter. "We train every week at Woodlands Elite to learn stunting and dancing. But, really, it's all about the pep rallies."

The on-campus pep rallies are themed and take months of planning.

"The kids love the pep rallies," she said. "For them, it's all about the details. It really gets the rest of the student body involved."

The team also introduced a new element to the spirit squad – Felix the Falcon – the school's brand-new mascot, who was hatched in 2020-21.

Working together all year really bonds her team, Twellman said as she also tries to sprinkle in life lessons.

"They learn what it means to care about each other and to be true friends…a family," she said. "The seniors this year will be my original class of girls. It's going to be emotional when they graduate because of the bonds we've made."

During the summer cheer camp, Avery Kemp, Denise Simon and Abby Tucker earned All-American honors, which earned them an invite to cheer in London.

"It's been a great experience for me," Tucker said. "You truly get to lead the student body and show off you school spirit. You learn so many lessons in cheer that you can apply to your everyday life.