As Mrs. Holland walked into the tornado shelter, she spied sleeping bags and food, heard loud hip-hop music, and saw the Raiderettes dancing.

“The best memory as a Raiderette was the Lock In because I felt like we really bonded,” Taylor Gilyard, 9th, said.

Taylor has been a Raiderette for two years.

“Taylor has come out of her shell, and I can’t wait to see her as a Northside N’Stepper, hopefully,” Mrs. Holland said.

The girls were inspired to be Raiderettes for different reasons.

“I have always wanted to be a part of a dance team like on television,” Tatyanna Bassett said.

Taking dance class inspired Shelby Hartwig, 8th, to be a Raiderette.

“I learned dance for 8 years and liked it, so I thought I would try it again,” Shelby said.

Just seeing the team in action inspired Alejandra Barroso, 8th.

“I was inspired to become a Raiderette when I saw the girls perform at a pep rally,” Alejandra said. “Their smiles made me want to be a part of the team.”

The girls also faced challenges.

“The biggest challenge for me was taking on the role of captain because it takes a lot of patience, responsibility, and leadership skills,” Michelle Atkins, 9th, said.

Perfecting dance moves proved difficult.

“My biggest challenge was getting my turns and leaps to look good,” Najla Andrews said.

Aside from leadership and talent, the girls had to deal with personality clashes.

“Trying to have a good attitude towards everyone awas a challenge because it’s hard to get along with nineteen girls,” Magdalena Castillo, 9th, said.

The freshmen will miss being Raiderettes.

“Getting along with people that you don’t really know was a challenge at first because you don’t know how they will treat you,” Sierre Thompson, 9th, said. “But, I will miss being on the same team with these people that I’ve gotten close to.”

For the Raiderettes, they’re not just teammates. They are a family.

“I will miss the bond we had,” Cha’Briya Harris, 9th, said. “I love these girls, and also Mrs. Holland because she’s funny.”