kenya

About ICCA Scholarship Program

Congratulations to the top 2025 scholarship winner, Kenya Cooley, from Carl Sandburg High School.  Kenya received a $6,000 scholarship.

ICCA provides scholarships to senior cheerleaders for continuing education at colleges and universities across the country. Scholarship winners are selected from seniors throughout the state of Illinois who excel in cheerleading as well as the classroom.  Those who applied sent in a video highlighting their cheerleading skills and a transcript from their school.  After a team of officials scored their videos and credit was given for GPAs and ACT/SAT received, the following athletes were selected as the top thirteen finalists to receive a scholarship.  The finalists will be contacted to set up their interview time.

The Illinois Cheerleading Coaches Association (ICCA) will award $30,000 in scholarships to the following finalists who will receive at least a $1,000 scholarship.

Ellie Baker                         Waterloo High School

Jordyn Ballard              Rockford Lutheran High School

Brenna Bejma               Mt. Vernon High School

Maggie Bowser             Edwardsville High School

Ja'Mya Hawkins           Rockford Lutheran High School

Elizabeth Hirtzel         Effingham High School

Madalyn Prather        Waterloo High School

Kylie Price                        Harrisburg High School

Alexa Severs                  Woodlawn High School

Naeem West                  Alton High School

Haley Wicke                   Flora High School

Ryan Wildermuth     Pinckneyville High School

Makayla Woolsey     Jersey Community

 

 

Scholarship Instructions

Scholarship Requirements

  • 1

    You must be a Senior on the winter cheer team at an ICCA member school.

  • 2

    You must complete the form online by November 30th to be considered for an ICCA Scholarship.

  • 3

    You need to contact the registrar at your school and have him or her send an official transcript that includes a non-weighted GPA and ACT/SAT score.  This should be in a sealed envelope and sent to the Scholarship Director (address on the google form application).

  • 4

    You must have your coach fill out the coaches recommendation.  Form will be sent to the coach when application is complete with video, photo and transcript with SAT/ACT score.

  • 5

    You must have competed at a minimum of one ICCA Invitational.

  • 6

    You must submit a cheerleading skills video following the guidelines listed below.

  • 7

    You must (as a finalist) be at the interview (in person) on the evening of January 9, 2026.

  • 8

    You must provide Community Service information documentation if you, as the applicant, become a finalist.

  • 9

    You must (as a finalist) be in attendance at the Championship on January 10, 2026.

The video is required to be in the following order:

  • Crowd Leading Cheer (no stunts but must incorporate one jump and a tumbling skill)

  • Combination Jump (Demonstrate your best triple jump)

  • Tumbling (include ONE each of your best standing tumbling AND a running tumbling pass)

  • Stunt Sequence (Applicants for the stunt sequence may be the base, top or back spot but not the front spot. Two stunt MAX).

*Videos not submitted in the correct order listed above will not be considered for Scholarship.*

Cheerleading Skills Video 60 points

  • Applicants must be in uniform. 

  • All skills must be performed on a cheer mat (No spring floor).

  • Other cheerleaders seen in the video should be in practice clothing and only seen during the stunting section.

  • The video must be no more than 2 minutes and in the following order:  1)  Introduction 2) Cheer  3)  Jumps  4)  Tumbling  5)  Stunts

  • Voice (5 points)

    Articulation, volume, pacing

  • Motions evaluated throughout the whole video (10 points)

    Placement, execution, sharpness

  • Jumps (10 points)

    Flexibility, execution, form, height, landing

  • Tumbling (10 points)

    Difficulty, execution, technique

  • Stunts (10 points)

    Difficulty, execution, technique

  • Creativity, Originality, Overall Appeal (10 points)

    How your video stands out from others (introduction and design of video), enthusiasm, energy, facials, appropriateness

  • Video follows order and guidelines (5 points)

Scholarship Application

For questions about the Scholarship process, please email Scholarship Director Betty Moore at: iccabetty@gmail.com.  Scholarship deadline is November 30.

Award Recipients

2025 Recipients

ICCA AWARDED A TOTAL OF $25,000 IN SCHOLARSHIP MONEY DURING THE 2025 ICCA CHAMPIONSHIPS.

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THE TOP SCHOLARSHIP WINNER WAS KENYA COOLEY WHO WILL BE RECEIVING A $6,000 SCHOLARSHIP TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HER CHOICE.

Sophie Breitwiser – Waterloo 
Kate Christensen – Pontiac
Kenya Cooley – Carl Sandburg
Makenzie Emerick – Vandalia
Kaylen Hansen – Wilmington
Briley Keach – Flora
Kirklyn Kay – Benton
Maria Long – Pontiac
Claire Stanforth – Rockridge 
Brianna Viviano – Triad 

Pictured with the Scholarship finalists is the 2024 Top Scholarship Winner, Adrian Allen.

Past Recipients

2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012