Monroe varsity cheerleaders receive Cincinnati Enquirer's Spirit Award

The Cincinnati Enquirer introduced a new voting feature for the 2025 high school sports year: The Spirit Award for cheerleaders, dance team members and their squads.

Much like the popular athlete of the week voting, school fans and friends voted on two weekly ballots (individual and team) for The Spirit Award. Only coaches can provide nominations each week, either for their squads or other teams.

This week's vote represented the final ballot for the fall season. The Spirit Award winner for Oct. 24, 2025 is Monroe High School Cheerleading.

"These ladies are hardworking in their academics and in their sport. They truly embody what it means to be a student athlete and are always willing to participate in activities that promote school spirit! This past week, they took time out of their day to host a pep rally with our pep band at our K-1 building, as it is at a separate location from our main campus, which holds grades 2-12. They led the little ones in cheers and band chants and everyone had a blast cheering on the Hornets," says coach Shannon Kelly.

What is the criteria for The Spirit Award?

Eligible are varsity girls and boys cheerleaders and dancers who exemplify the fruits of the spirit ‒ love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – while uplifting their squads, the student body and others. Team nominations focus on squads that come together to help each other, work hard, do things right that week, show outstanding virtues when dealing with or serving others, exceed expectations to prepare something special for the school or take part in any other honorable reason they might be acknowledged.