LULING, LA- Jordan Champagne is a sophomore here at Hahnville High School. Jordan is the daughter of Mandy Macalusa and Kenny Champagne. She is the oldest of her and her brother Gage. She is one of the top flyers of the cheer squad this year. Jordan told me that “one of her greatest achievements of this year was coming from nothing to being one of the top flyers this year.

Jordan started cheering in the fourth grade for her local recreational team. She joined the pep squad in seventh grade and then made her middle school’s cheer team her eighth grade year. Jordan cheered with her competition team, Tiger Elite, and won the U.S. finals championship in 2016.

Jordan tried out for Hahnville’s cheer squad at the end of her eighth grade year. She made the team and practiced all summer long for her freshman year.

But soon after, things took a turn for the worst. Jordan said that she ‘wanted to quit cheering last year because there was nobody to go to the games.” Jordan’s mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor in September of 2016. She went through six surgeries but unfortunately the last one ended in a coma. When she came out of the coma, she lost all control of her body and could no longer do simple tasks for herself of for her family. Her mom missed her first game and even homecoming. Jordan told me that she “looks up to her mom the most because she has been through a lot.”

Although Jordan’s parents are separated, he father still supports her every move and is very involved in her life. One thing that keeps Jordan going is her “family because they are very supportive even though they are going through this.”

By surprise, her mother showed up to one of her final games of her sophomore year. Jordan was very happy because this was the first game that she has ever made. She is Jordan’s greatest motivator!