Click here to read Mikala’s piece about the Chuck Stone Program
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Faithful, Cheerful, Bright: Mikala.
By Gertrude “Gerty” Joseph
Cheerleading practice four nights a week. Bible study once a week. School clubs. Academics.
It’s quite a backflip.
On the outside Mikala Whitaker is your all-American blonde-hair-brown eyed girl. She first set her sights on cheerleading at a sixth grade pep rally.
“I wanted to be one of them,” Mikala said.
From that moment, she became a cheerleader on the sidelines, in the classroom and in every aspect of her life.
Endlessly practicing, she hoped to take cheerleading to the next level. Unfortunately, she broke her finger in a tumbling accident that forced her to take time off. Despite her initial frustrations, it was in her words, “the most defining moment in my life.”
Mikala was born into a strong, loving Christian family in Kansas City, Mo. She then moved to Florida and then to Dublin, Ohio. She became interested in journalism in elementary school. She competed with a multitude of fifth-graders all wanting to be on the school’s morning show.
“That’s what really got me interested in journalism,” Mikala said. Between the rush of being on the air and the positive feedback she received, it only seemed natural that she explore the field more. From there, journalism found her.
She moved to Winston-Salem, N.C. after seventh-grade where her love of journalism was cultivated. In eighth-grade she accompanied a friend to New York where she toured CNN. She had the opportunity to meet Matt Lauer and Merideth Vieira who inspired and increased her interest in journalism.
“The atmosphere made me even more interested in journalism,” Mikala said. She credits New York’s fast paced life-style and bright lights as the major catalyst that propelled her into journalism during her freshmen year.
She entered Reagan High School as a well-rounded individual. She was a determined cheerleader, a committed member of Bible study and an aspiring journalist.
“My freshman and sophomore years weren’t too bad but I now try to manage my time better. It can be really hard sometimes,” Mikala said.
She gave up her lunches to interview others and spent late nights working on homework and journalism.
Eventually this busy lifestyle caught up with her as she was forced to slow down because of her cheerleading injury.
“I nearly went insane,” said Mikala.
Cheerleading was a major part of her life, but eliminating it gave her more free time. She used the time to strengthen her relationship with God and to become a prominent member of her youth group.
“My youth group is amazing,” Mikala said. “They lend support and encouragement to each other–similar to cheerleading.”
Although her competitive cheerleading career is over, her cheering is not.
“I will always a cheerleader,” Mikala said. She cheers for the forgotten members of teams in her school. She cheers for the dedicated fans in the crowd.
“I cheer for the twelve-year-old girls who meet at my house each week to talk about living as Christians in a secular world, Mikala said. “I cheer for those who are afraid to stand up for what they believe in.”