THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 22, 1995 TAG: 9506210171
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SHIRLEY BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
CAROLYN GRIFFIN has high hopes for her first year at Averett College in Danville.
She has been flying high throughout her years at Lakeland High School. Co-salutatorian this year, she received several awards and scholarships and already has been chosen for the cheering squad at Averett.
Lakeland's varsity cheerleader co-captain, Carolyn climbed high on the shoulders of her teammates to stand at the top of a human pyramid and then jumped into the arms of a male cheerleader.
``I was called a `flier,' '' she said. ``We had to trust each other and work together. Cheerleading is just like a regular sport, although people don't think it is, and I knew I was going to miss it so much.''
Carolyn, who was voted ``most spirited cheerleader'' by her peers, decided to apply for cheerleading at Averett and was ready to leave for an audition when an accident in the family kept her at home.
``I sent a tape of stunts that I did with one of two guys on the team,'' she said. ``Then I found they had chosen me without viewing the tape because they liked what I had written on my application.''
Although Averett does not have a football team, Carolyn will cheer at basketball and soccer games and participate in cheerleading competition with other schools.
``I chose a small school because I want to be an `actual person,' and not just a number,'' she said. ``It's only three hours from home . . . not too far and not too close.''
Vivacious and outgoing, Carolyn says that cheering helped her overcome her shyness.
``In elementary and middle school, I was very shy,'' she said. ``After I became a cheerleader, I began to blossom. It helped me open up and meet new friends and taught me leadership and hard work.''
Since math is Carolyn's favorite subject, she plans to major in accounting or perhaps, go into banking after graduating from college. During her senior year at Lakeland, she arrived at school early in the morning to tutor other students in algebra. She also tutored her cousin after school.
Carolyn, who graduated with a 4.439 grade-point average, recently received the Kings Fork Women's Club Scholarship, the Pilot Club Recognition Award, Scholar Athletic Award, Averett Merit Award, Beta Sigma Phi Scholarship, and Community Hunt Club Scholarship.
Her numerous activities at Lakeland included the Future Business Leaders of America, Beta Club, Spanish Club, Interact Club, Chemistry/Physics Club, Cultural Society, prom committee, and The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star Scholarship Program. She also attended Girls State and the World Affairs Conference at Marymount College in Washington.
As a senior, Carolyn was a district winner in the American Legion Oratorical Contest.
``I wasn't afraid to talk before people,'' she said. ``Cheering had helped that. I had to write a 10-minute speech on the Constitution and could have gone on to regional competition, but woke up that morning with the flu.''
Last year, Carolyn submitted a paper entitled ``Fall in the Country,'' to a Peanut Fest committee, was invited to an interview, and selected as a Peanut Fest princess.
``I felt so important that weekend . . . just like a queen,'' she said. ``I wrote about riding on top of peanut trailers and how I felt about my favorite time of year. I used to ride on the tractors and help with the pigs.''
A native of Suffolk, Carolyn is the daughter of Theresa Griffin of Indian Trail and David Griffin of Chesapeake. She lives with her mother and 14-year-old brother, Jeff, in a house on her grandfather's farm.
This summer, she is employed by SEVAC in Portsmouth doing secretarial work. At the end of August, she will attend a cheerleading camp with the Averett squad in Raleigh, N.C. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Carolyn Griffin, who says cheering helped her overcome shyness, will
attend Averett College in the fall. She plans to major in
accounting.
by CNB