October 17, 2019 at 08:48AM
Jaden Reed loves to lead cheers.
The Burlington High School senior also has a passion for music, where she is a multi-talented musician playing numerous instruments.
Reed, who also is involved in student council and various clubs at school and is an honor student, decided to do both this fall. So during BHS home football games at Bracewell Stadium, Reed helps lead the cheers for the Grayhounds during the first half, then hustles to the other side of the field to play in the marching band at halftime, then hustles back to the home sideline to cheer again in the second half.
Reed has the best of both worlds, and she loves every minute of it.
"It's amazing being part of the cheer squad," Reed said. "Everyone is so nice and so welcoming. We're all like a family. We all have our inside jokes. It's really exciting to see everyone show up and support us. Knowing that we're doing a good job cheering is when everyone cheers back with us. We really enjoy it.
"In the marching band I am a snare drum player. I'm also the section leader for percussion. It's very interesting. We're working on getting harder songs, preparing for college freshman bands and stuff like that. We're trying to practice different groups."
"She has a good work ethic and is very dedicated," BHS cheer coach Cherie Reid said. "She's just a great kid. She's a role model that we want to have as a cheerleader. Jaden is an awesome cheerleader. She's cheered for four years. She gives 100 percent in all that she does. Anything I ask of her she does. I don't have to follow up to make sure she does it. I can count on her to complete any task that I give her."
"She's pretty talented," BHS band director Derrick Murphy said. "She gives her best in everything she does, in band, music, cheerleading, everything. She is one of the best kids and she is a good leader. She makes sure the drum line is doing the best they can."
Reed got started in both cheerleading and band in a roundabout fashion.
"I saw some of my friends doing it and I decided to try it. It looked like they were having fun. I was in dance class and someone told me I should come and try out for the cheer team because I was really good at tumbling. I like it so I kept doing it," Reed said. "In fifth grade, I was playing flute and my brother was playing percussion, so I wanted to be like him. I started percussion and I've loved it ever since. I play the mallets. I play the snare. I play the timpani. I play some auxiliaries."
Reed, who also is involved in National Honor Society, Leo Club and student council, among other things, wants to help people. She plans to go to college next year and pursue a degree in a field where she can do just that.
"I'm going to college. I don't know if I will cheer in college, but it's definitely a possibility. I am going to major in neuroscience. I want to work for the government to see how people's brains work to create different things to help it get better with the mental illness in America," Reed said.
Reed will be missed at BHS, but she has set a standard for others to follow by getting involved in numerous activities.
"I've enjoyed having her on the squad for four years. We're going to miss her next year," Reid said.
"She will be sorely missed next year," Murphy said. "She is one of a kind. Hopefully somebody will step up and be the next Jaden Reed for me."
Jaden Reed loves to lead cheers.
The Burlington High School senior also has a passion for music, where she is a multi-talented musician playing numerous instruments.
Reed, who also is involved in student council and various clubs at school and is an honor student, decided to do both this fall. So during BHS home football games at Bracewell Stadium, Reed helps lead the cheers for the Grayhounds during the first half, then hustles to the other side of the field to play in the marching band at halftime, then hustles back to the home sideline to cheer again in the second half.
Reed has the best of both worlds, and she loves every minute of it.
"It's amazing being part of the cheer squad," Reed said. "Everyone is so nice and so welcoming. We're all like a family. We all have our inside jokes. It's really exciting to see everyone show up and support us. Knowing that we're doing a good job cheering is when everyone cheers back with us. We really enjoy it.
"In the marching band I am a snare drum player. I'm also the section leader for percussion. It's very interesting. We're working on getting harder songs, preparing for college freshman bands and stuff like that. We're trying to practice different groups."
"She has a good work ethic and is very dedicated," BHS cheer coach Cherie Reid said. "She's just a great kid. She's a role model that we want to have as a cheerleader. Jaden is an awesome cheerleader. She's cheered for four years. She gives 100 percent in all that she does. Anything I ask of her she does. I don't have to follow up to make sure she does it. I can count on her to complete any task that I give her."
"She's pretty talented," BHS band director Derrick Murphy said. "She gives her best in everything she does, in band, music, cheerleading, everything. She is one of the best kids and she is a good leader. She makes sure the drum line is doing the best they can."
Reed got started in both cheerleading and band in a roundabout fashion.
"I saw some of my friends doing it and I decided to try it. It looked like they were having fun. I was in dance class and someone told me I should come and try out for the cheer team because I was really good at tumbling. I like it so I kept doing it," Reed said. "In fifth grade, I was playing flute and my brother was playing percussion, so I wanted to be like him. I started percussion and I've loved it ever since. I play the mallets. I play the snare. I play the timpani. I play some auxiliaries."
Reed, who also is involved in National Honor Society, Leo Club and student council, among other things, wants to help people. She plans to go to college next year and pursue a degree in a field where she can do just that.
"I'm going to college. I don't know if I will cheer in college, but it's definitely a possibility. I am going to major in neuroscience. I want to work for the government to see how people's brains work to create different things to help it get better with the mental illness in America," Reed said.
Reed will be missed at BHS, but she has set a standard for others to follow by getting involved in numerous activities.
"I've enjoyed having her on the squad for four years. We're going to miss her next year," Reid said.
"She will be sorely missed next year," Murphy said. "She is one of a kind. Hopefully somebody will step up and be the next Jaden Reed for me."