Dancing to Dordt: Lee Signs-On to Become a Defender
Camryn Lee, center, signs her letter of intent to attend and dance for Dordt University during a signing ceremony held on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, in Ava, Missouri.
By Jason Hoekema
In the jumble of the athletic programs taking place at Ava High School, there is an unsung group of youth who stand for hours cheering for their classmates on the field and court.
Leading them for the last three years has been Camryn Lee, a four-year dance team and cheer squad member who took the helm as captain her sophomore year.
As is life, and they grow all to quickly. Last Wednesday the school and community came together to watch her take the next step, the one into adulthood.
Lee signed-on with Dordt University, located in Sioux Center, Iowa. The school’s name places its origins in the Netherlands where it came from a historic Synod of the Dordrecht in the early 1600s.
“I’m really excited,” said Lee. “Anxious because it is so far away, I’m kind of getting out of my comfort zone by not staying close to home. I am excited to build off of that and learn how to be myself, on my own, so far away. It is not as easy to fall back on home, but it is still there if I need it.”
The school has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1971 and is a member of the Institution of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. Providing over 40 bachelor’s degrees, the class of 2019 saw a 99-percent career outcome rate.
The school has a dance team which routinely performs at athletic events and requires tryouts on top of academic success while in high school.
“(When I got my offer letter) I cried a little bit,” said Lee. “It was amazing. Applying to Dordt was tough. I had to work really hard to get my scores up. I finally got my acceptance letter and then the dance team contacted me.”
Athletically, Dordt is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and is part of the Great Plains Athletic conference.
As for parting with the community Lee expressed gratitude to the school, friends, family and the opportunity to captain the cheer squad and dance team for three years.
