For years, Miami Palmetto Senior High’s pep squad has brought life and voice to the halls. Boosting the Panther spirit, they inspire and motivate athletes and students alike. 

The pep squad is made up of students from all corners of the school, all-encompassing a similar goal: making high school an exciting and positive place for all students. 

Priya Jones, the vice president of MPSH’S Pep Squad, joined her freshman year because she heard all the fun things that they do and how they excite the school. Other members of the pep squad joined for their love of bringing joy to MPSH and its students. 

“All are welcome; what you don’t know, you learn, and you’re here to meet new people. But I do expect that everyone who joins will actually participate and want to do it,” Pep Squad president Princess Smiley said.

Most of the squad’s best memories include Panther for a Day and the Halloween event. They loved seeing the way the middle schoolers’ faces light up while seeing them perform.

Smiley believes her biggest accomplishment is leading the pep squad. She has learned so many things. Like organization, how to work a crowd and how to properly lead people.

“Princess is an amazing leader, a great organizer, she is really good at getting people together. I would say she deserves to be president,” Jones said.

 According to Smiley and Jones, the squad could improve with more funding. With more funding, the team could attend more away games. Since they need their own bus it is hard for the whole team to get to games.

Jones envisions a bright future with more people joining and an engaged student body, expecting MPSH to remain filled with life and voice well into the future.