By Kevin Devlin
All four young girls are on the A team cheerleading squad in the South Boston Pop Warner Football League Program. They enjoy cheerleading because they get to cheer on their team, compete in cheerleading contests, do cheerleading stunts, and hang out with their friends. They like watching TV and using their IPhones every chance they get. And, they simply love living in South Boston because they have so many family members and friends in their lives on a daily basis. The four cheerleaders are Jaydan Shaughnessy, Jackie Novicki, Brianna Mikshenas, and Sarah Day.
Jaydan Shaughnessy, 12, is the daughter of Denise and John Shaughnessy. She has three older brothers, Jordan, Justin, and Johnny. She also has three family pets. Their hamster is named Justin. They have a cat named Squiggy, and a dog named Bailey.
Jaydan’s entering the seventh grade at the Perry Elementary School. Her favorite subject is ELA and someday she plans on being an FBI agent. Her favorite color is blue and her favorite food is tacos. Her favorite TV show is “The Walking Dead” and she loves listening to Justin Bieber. She’s also a big fan of two-time Olympic gymnast, Alexandra “Ali” Raisman. This is Jaydan’s second season as a Pop Warner cheerleader. In her leisure time, she enjoys family summer trips to Ellis Haven, New Hampshire, and Marshfield.
Jackie Novicki, 13, is the daughter of Tracy and Walter Novicki. She has a sister named Rachel and she adores her family dog named Snowball. Jackie is entering the eighth grade at Green Academy which is located in Brighton. Her favorite subjects are gym and lunch and someday she hopes on being a surgeon so she can help sick people.
Jackie’s favorite color is teal and her favorite food is Chicken Caesar Salad. Her favorite athletes are Ali Raisman, Tom Brady, and Tuukka Rask. Her favorite TV show is “Grey’s Anatomy.” In the world of sports, Jackie has been a cheerleader for eight years. She also swims, takes gymnastic classes, and has played in the South Boston Youth Soccer League since she was three years old. In her downtime, she enjoys family trips to Cape Cod and New Hampshire.
Brianna Mikshenas, 12, is the daughter of Lauren and Pat Armstrong. She has a sister named Katelyn, and a cat named Princess. Brianna is a seventh grader at Archbishop Williams High School which is located in Braintree. Like her sidekick Jackie, her favorite subjects are gym and lunch. Someday she plans on being a teacher.
Brianna’s favorite color is aqua. Her favorite food is Chicken Caesar Salad, and again, like her sidekick, her favorite show is “Grey’s Anatomy.” In the sports arena, Brianna has been a cheerleader for three seasons. She played in the South Boston Girls Softball League for eight seasons and is used as a pitcher. She also plays AAU hoop and takes gymnastic classes.
Sarah Day, 12, lives with her Aunt Jackie Rakauskas and her grandmother, Carol Rakauskas. Sarah has a dog she loves to pieces named Bosco. She’s entering the seventh grade at Up Academy which is located in South Boston. Her favorite subject is math and someday she plans on being an EMT.
Sarah’s favorite color is blue and she loves French Fries from Sully’s. Her favorite TV show is “Pretty Little Liars” and her favorite athlete is Simone Arianna Biles, a 2016 American gold medal Olympian. In the world of sports, this is her third year as a cheerleader. She has played in the Gate of Heaven CYO hoop program for the past six years. She has taken dance classes at Dance Works in Quincy for the last seven years, gymnastic classes for four years; and played in the local girls’ softball league for two seasons.
