KU's Scholar Athlete

Strong Foundation Built With Hard Work

Scholar-athlete-finchAlexandra Finch

• School: Lafayette High
• Grade: 12th
• Sports: Cheerleading
• Academics: Alexandra has a 4.0 grade-point average in advanced classes.
• Parent: Jennifer

The only thing that Alexandra Finch seems to enjoy more than being a cheerleader at Lafayette High is working out to be a cheerleader.

Alexandra, a sturdy 5-foot-4 senior, takes her workouts seriously. Six days a week, she trains up to three hours daily. Her cardio regimen alone is 6 miles on the treadmill, then it’s off to the weights and stretching.

See, you gotta be tough to be a cheerleader – especially when you’re at the base of the pyramid.

When those tiny cheerleaders pose at the top, it’s Alexandra and girls like her supplying the support.

But that doesn’t mean Alexandra is enjoying the experience any less. Cheerleading is her greatest joy.

“She is so happy on the stage,” her mother Jennifer says about Alexandra during cheerleading competitions.

“The look on her face is unbelievable. It’s truly where her heart is.”

Alexandra has been cheering since she started gymnastics as a 5-year-old. Competition came soon thereafter with Showtime All-Stars and Kentucky Elite, a program of Premier Athletics.

With Showtime as a seventh-grader, Alexandra and her teammates placed ninth in the prestigious World Championships in Orlando.

During those years, her competitions resulted in numerous national titles and three appearances on ESPN.

When she entered high school, she focused solely on the Generals team, which has developed into a vastly improved program.

Last year, the team won the National Cheerleading Assn. title in Louisville.

“That was our first big win and it was gratifying because we have improved so much,” Alexandra said.

Given all her other activities, it’s amazing she has time for cheerleading.

Alexandra carries a 4.0 grade-point average in advanced classes and has participated in Student Council and Beta Club.

She has volunteered all over town, most memorably for her at the Jesus Prom, a dance for students with disabilities sponsored by Southland Christian Church.

In summer, she has worked as a lifeguard and camp counselor, and she hopes to be a veterinarian.

To test the waters, she will participate in the school district’s Experience-Based Career Education program, working at various businesses.

That should encompass her many interests. She is working on the school paper and enjoys creative writing. Her short story, inspired by “The Great Gatsby,” was chosen for the web site TeenInk.com.

It’s all part of her work ethic.

“She’s well organized and can juggle her gymnastics, homework and other projects,” her mother said. “She has worked for everything.”

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