ARGENTA - There was a time when being an Argenta-Oreana High School cheerleader wasn't much fun.

Too few girls were willing to try out for the squad. Those who were on the squad didn't have much commitment. At camp, they never won awards and felt their skills were inadequate, compared to other squads.

That's all changed.

This year at camp, three members of the squad - seniors Cassie Griffin and Christina Justice and sophomore Karlee Damron - were named to the All-America team. They'll be invited to cheer at the Gator Bowl, and the All-America team includes some 50 girls. The girls have to raise their own expense money, but Cassie said they're determined to succeed at that, because this is the first year any of them has made the team.

Cassie also earned a leadership award, and the Argenta-Oreana squad won the spirit stick every day of camp. This year, 14 girls are wearing the orange and blue cheerleader uniform, and morale has taken a leap.

"This year is so different," Cassie said. "We're really giving it our all this year, and we're going to be an awesome squad this year because everyone is really committed and they don't take it as a joke anymore."

To make it on the All-America team, the cheerleaders have to try out with a cheer they learn at camp, which includes a triple jump, tumbling and as much spirit as they can muster.

At camp, the team learned cheers, chants (sideline cheers) and dances. Argenta-Oreana doesn't have a pom pom squad, and the cheerleaders rarely use their pom-poms except for the school song, but learning the dances increases coordination.

Coach Raeanne Sisson and assistant coach Tam ;my Griffin - Cassie's mother - and the new cheerleaders have made the difference.

"We really wanted to make people want to do it," said Teresa Hinton, a senior.

During tryouts, the squad plastered the school with signs, and now that the squad is together, their personalities are blending nicely.

"We have a lot of fun," she said. "We do a lot of group stuff. We have sleepovers and pizza parties where we just hang out. We try to make it fun. Everybody has a part, and no one is ever odd man out."

"And if someone isn't here, it wouldn't be the same," Christina said.

Valerie Wells can be reached at vwells@herald-review.com or 421-7982.