She's Got Spirit

Name: Keirsten McDonald

Age:  Sweet 16

School: Shelton High School

Accomplishments: Balancing a part-time job, being vice president of SHS's DECA (a chapter of the international association for marketing sutdents), being a traveling cheerleader with the CT Spirit All-Stars and still finding time to volunteer as a coach for Shelton Pop Warner and the Sparkle squad at CT Spirit!

Keys to Awesomeness: Keirsten has been a cheerleader since age 7. She cheered for the Shelton Pop Warner program until the ninth grade. During the seventh and eighth grades she was a dual cheerleader, participating with the Viking squad for Pop Warner and the Shelton Intermediate cheerleading team. Keirsten spent her freshman year as Miss Shelton Teen America, volunteering her time, and running a fundraiser for the Saint Jude organization. During this time she also helped coach the Shelton Intermediate cheerleading squad under Kelly Swanson. That same year, she became Miss Continental Connecticut Teen America. In her sophomore year, Keirsten returned to her love of cheering and became an all star cheerleader for CT Spirit. This opportunity took her to several states and competitions. Her team, the Sapphires, climbed to second place in the International all-levels competition. During this year, she returned to Pop Warner as a team demonstrator and also helped coach the CT Spirit Crystals. At the high school she joined DECA and found a new interest and talent in Marketing. Now in her junior year, Keirsten is preparing for college. She plans on becoming a nurse practitioner. She still cheers for CT Spirit and still coaches for Shelton Pop Warner and the CT Spirit Sparkles while holding down a part-time job at Goodman Insurance.

Know a Whiz Kid? Submit your nomination in our comment box below or e-mail the information above to Local Editor Leah Salomoni at leah.salomoni@patch.com