After a week of voting and more than 1,500 votes, Fairview High School’s Hailey Hughes has emerged as The Tennessean Student of the Week honoring cheerleaders.
Hughes, a senior described as one of the most well-rounded individuals her teacher has ever met, was recognized as a four-time UCA All-American cheerleader and member of the Tennessee All-State cheer team.
She’s also received four UCA pin in forward awards for her leadership and willingness to cheer on everyone around her, school officials said.
One of Hughes’ teachers wrote that she “is an A student who is spoken highly of by all her teachers and peers. She will be greatly missed upon her graduation due to the impression she has had on our program.”
As part of The Tennessean Student of the Week series, we ask teachers, staff and administrators to send us nominations, and then we let you, the reader, decide who wins by casting votes in our online poll.
We asked schools from across Middle Tennessee to send us their best cheerleaders this week.
We will be taking a short break for Easter and testing next week as TCAPs finish up, but we will return with a new poll on April 28.
As always, we believe every student who gets nominated for the Student of the Week feature is a winner. So here’s a little bit about our other nominees from this week, as written by those who nominated them:
Teygan Williams: Innovation Academy
Williams is one of our graduating cheerleaders who always worked for the betterment of the squad. She is selfless and always encourages our new cheerleaders to reach new heights by setting personal goals and supporting them along the way. As a first-year cheerleader, she was named All-American, and also serves as our scholar body vice-president, school ambassador and senior Beta treasurer.
Ava Mason: Summit High School
Mason is a very athletically talented cheerleader who leads her team with grace. She recently accepted an offer to cheer at Western Kentucky University.
Cheyenne Curry: Greenbrier High School
Curry is a dedicated student who maintains a 4.0 GPA in the classroom while cheering for football, basketball and cheer competitions. She is also a part of various organizations such as Future Farmers of America, National Beta Club and Student Council. She has a heart of gold and helps anyone at any time and always encourages those around her.
Laura Hobbs: Wilson Central High School
Hobbs is a senior cheerleading captain at Wilson Central who has recently signed with Cumberland University to continue her cheerleading career at the collegiate level. In addition to cheer, Hobbs is an accomplished member of the track team, excelling as a discus and shot put thrower. As a multi-sport athlete, Hobbs effectively balances her athletic commitments with her academic responsibilities, showcasing her exceptional time management skills. Last year, she secured first place in Life Support Skills and showcased her talents at the HOSA International Leadership Conference in Houston, Texas. Most recently, Hobbs achieved third place in Life Support Skills, which qualifies her for the HOSA International Leadership Conference once again this year, this time in Nashville, Tennessee.
Aniyja Andrews: Springfield High School
Andrews has faced every challenge and struggle with positivity and a smile. Even during her lowest points personally, she was everyone’s encouragement and friend. She is always pushing herself to excel, to serve others, and to enjoy life as it comes. She is a person of integrity and honor. In addition to cheerleading, Andrews is a key member of the Springfield High School Theatre department, recently playing a lead role in the spring musical Shrek.
Isabella Repath: Heritage High School
Repath is a current junior who has been cheering for Heritage for the past 6 years (including her 6th grade year). She not only is active in our sideline squad, but also is an integral part of our competition team and does All Star with CheerVille. Additionally, she is on three different cheer teams, and also coaches a younger team through CheerVille. Repath is an A student who is taking advanced level classes and is also Junior Class secretary.
Kyla Parker: Gallatin High School
Parker is a vibrant senior at Gallatin who has spent the last four years making her mark as a dedicated and spirited cheerleader. Known for her energetic presence and bright personality, Parker has been a natural leader on and off the field, consistently encouraging her teammates and lifting others with her support and positivity. She has maintained a solid 3.2 GPA while balancing academics, athletics and work, while managing a hectic cheer schedule. This fall, Parker will take her talents to Western Kentucky University, where she plans to major in nursing.
Sarynn Thompson: Stewart County High School
Thompson is a cheerleading captain, salutatorian, and has won gold in FCCLA STAR events. She is an exceptional student that sets the standard for academic, character and extracurriculars at SCHS.
Tasia Buchanen: Rossview High School
Buchanen has been on the JV Cheer team the last two years, serving as one of the captains during the 2024-25 school year and will be on the Varsity Cheer team beginning in the 2025-26 school year. She will also serve as one of the Varsity co-captains. Buchanen stands out for her unwavering school spirit, dedication and ability to uplift others both on and off the field/court. She demonstrates teamwork, discipline and a positive attitude, inspiring her peers through energy and enthusiasm. Her commitment to excellence and ability to balance academics with extracurriculars makes her a role model within the school community.
